EvergreenHealth lauded for its patient experience for the second year in a row

KIRKLAND, Wash., May 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- EvergreenHealth today announced it received the 2012 HealthGrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award™ for the second consecutive year. This distinction ranks EvergreenHealth, formerly Evergreen Hospital Medical Center, among the top 10 percent of hospitals nationwide based on patient satisfaction data compiled by HealthGrades, the leading provider of information to help consumers make informed decisions about a physician or hospital.

HealthGrades' Outstanding Patient Experience Award™ recognizes EvergreenHealth for exemplary patient satisfaction based on patients' experiences throughout a visit to an EvergreenHealth medical center. EvergreenHealth is the only hospital in King County to receive the patient satisfaction distinction two years in a row.

HealthGrades analyzes patient satisfaction data for 3,837 hospitals across the U.S. using HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) hospital survey data obtained from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

According to HealthGrades, 80 percent of patients treated at the nation's best-performing hospitals would definitely recommend the hospital, compared to only 53 percent of patients who received care from the poorest-performing hospitals.

"This recognition underscores the personalized and compassionate care our patients expect," said Bob Malte, CEO of EvergreenHealth. "As we celebrate our 40th year of serving the Eastside, we strive to continually improve the systems and service that help our providers deliver the highest level of breakthrough care and service."

Earlier this year EvergreenHealth also was named a Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence in 2012, designating it as the only hospital in Washington state to receive the distinction for the past four consecutive years. 

EvergreenHealth's areas of outstanding care include cancer care, orthopedics, primary care, cardiology care, breast health care for women, home care and hospice. 

As part of the patient satisfaction evaluation, HealthGrades identified 332 hospitals performing in the top 10 percent in the nation, based on survey responses from patients treated at those facilities. Hospitals had to meet bed size, survey-response size, and clinical-quality thresholds in order to be eligible for the award. Information on award recipients and the ratings methodology is available, free to the public, at HealthGrades.com.

"This year HealthGrades paid particular attention to the impact that patient-provider communication has on patient experience. For example, we found that 27 percent more patients of the top-performing hospitals reported staff always explained their medications before administering them, compared to hospitals in the bottom 10 percent," said Kristin Reed, MPH, HealthGrades Vice President of hospital quality programs and author of the study. "Communication is clearly an important factor for patient satisfaction, but it can also be critical to ensuring positive outcomes. We commend hospitals like EvergreenHealth for setting the standard for outstanding patient experience."

Along with the 2012 awards for Outstanding Patient Experience and the Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence, EvergreenHealth has also received from HealthGrades the 2012 Stroke Care Excellence Award (three years in a row) and the 2012 Pulmonary Care Excellence Award (two years in a row).

Since 1972, EvergreenHealth has grown alongside the Eastside community, and this year celebrates its 40th anniversary of serving Eastside residents.  Earlier this year, the organization launched a refreshed brand that brings together the clinical quality, professional expertise, newest technology and highly personalized service that are hallmarks of EvergreenHealth's distinguished care.

To learn more about EvergreenHealth, visit www.evergreenhealthcare.org or call the 24-hour Nurse Navigators and Healthline at 425.899.3000.

About EvergreenHealth

EvergreenHealth, a public hospital district and community-based healthcare organization established in 1972, offers a breadth of services and programs that is among the most comprehensive in the region. More than 950 physicians provide clinical excellence within more than 80 specialties, including cardiac, oncology, surgical care, orthopedics, a neuroscience institute, women's and children's services, hospice care, pulmonary care, a sleep disorders center and home care services.  EvergreenHealth serves more than 400,000 residents in its primary service area of northern King and southern Snohomish counties with EvergreenHealth Primary Care, a network of primary and urgent care practices, and its main hospital campus in Kirkland, Wash. EvergreenHealth also provides emergency care at two sites; its main hospital campus and the EvergreenHealth Redmond Medical Center.  In addition to clinical care, EvergreenHealth offers extensive community health outreach and education programs, anchored by EvergreenHealth Nurse Navigators and Healthline, a 24/7 nurse consultation service. For more information, visit www.evergreenhealthcare.org.

CONTACTS:

Ken LeBlond
Program Manager – Public Relations
EvergreenHealth
425.899.1886
[email protected]

Kristi Clough
Firmani + Associates Inc.
206.443.9357
[email protected]

SOURCE EvergreenHealth

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