First few Article Sentences
In the September 2010 edition of the California Healthcare News, Enloe Medical Center’s quality improvement journey was presented (Creating a Quality Movement in Your Hospital). That article focused on creating a sustainable quality culture based on adopting best-practice care, engaging physician leadership and advancing their work with robust Board, administration and staff support. Now in the third year of that process, it continues to drive much of the organizational focus throughout the year.
As important as clinical performance is, there is another important aspect to quality care: Patient experience. Captured in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services mandated Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Services (HCAHPS) surveys, patient satisfaction will be tied to hospital reimbursement. In 2012, value based purchasing will penalize hospitals if quality and patient satisfaction scores are not at specified levels, and, according to the California Hospital Association, Enloe risked losing close to one million dollars yearly due largely to poor HCAHPS scores.