Patient Satisfaction - Top 60 Hospitals

Our readers have mentioned that they receive patient satisfaction surveys from Hoag Orthopedic Institute. While they know how they responded, they don't know the overall ratings. In order to help our readers understand patient satisfaction and the way that HOI utilizes their response, we have requested an interview with Dereesa Reid, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Hoag Orthopedic Institute.

HOI: Thank you very much, Ms. Reid, for agreeing to an interview. We'll start by asking a fairly obvious question – does HOI receive high patient satisfaction ratings?

Dereesa Reid: The Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) is a national standardized survey that surveys discharged patients on questions that are critical to the patient's hospital experience.  Participating hospital HCAHPS scores are reported on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Hospital Compare website, http://www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov/.  HOI's scores should be posted on the public website in the next few months.

One of the key survey questions asks patients "willingness to recommend the hospital." Since inception, HOI has consistently been rated by our patients in the top 3-5% in the nation.

HOI: What is measured in the HOI patient satisfaction survey? Are the questions primarily subjective or are there objective measurements as well?

Dereesa Reid: In 2002, CMS partnered with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to develop the HCAHPS survey which is also endorsed by the National Quality Forum, an organization that represents broad spectrum of healthcare providers, professional associations, quality and research organizations, and government agencies.

The HCAHPS survey is comprised of 27 questions with 18 questions specifically focusing on communication with physicians and nurses, cleanliness and quietness of the environment, pain management, discharge information and willingness to recommend the hospital.

HOI: Do you see evidence that patient satisfaction surveys help you identify ways of improving?

Dereesa Reid:  Absolutely!  HOI monitors the survey questions for the slightest change in trends.  We are able to see patient satisfaction results by inpatient unit and by comparison to over 1,700 hospitals in the database.  HOI uses the survey results to make continuous improvements in the way we deliver care to our patients.  HOI also compares our survey results to a sub-set of hospitals that are nationally known as top orthopedic hospitals.  By comparison, HOI continues to rank at the highest levels when compared to the best-in-class hospitals.

HOI: What method does HOI use to measure quality? How is quality of care measurement different from patient satisfaction measurement?

Dereesa Reid:  The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), defines a set of quality core measures that are used to compare hospitals across the nation and drive clinical excellence.  These quality indicators have been shown to reduce the risk of complications and prevent hospital readmissions.  In addition, HOI tracks long-term functional outcomes to insure that our patients regain their full potential months and even years beyond their orthopedic surgery.  Last but not least our physicians and nurses continually collaborate on best practices that improve the overall quality of care.  Most recently, our anesthesiologists have been working with our surgeons and perioperative team on improving patient warming which is correlated with lower risk of infections.

HOI: Finally, our readers have asked what it means to be in the "Top 60 Hospitals". Is this based on high quality of care measurements?

Dereesa Reid: In August 2011, Becker's Hospital Review, a national healthcare publication, listed Hoag Orthopedic Institute among "60 Hospitals with Top Orthopedic Programs."  To be ranked on this list, these hospitals demonstrate outstanding orthopedic surgery reputations, cutting-edge research, and perform high number of joint replacements annually.