PIKEVILLE, Ky. (May 13, 2015) — Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) is among the top five percent of hospitals in America to achieve the highest rating possible – five-stars – for patient satisfaction in a new system recently introduced by the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
PMC is rated higher than Mayo Clinic (Rochester), Massachusetts General Hospital, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Cleveland Clinic and UCLA Medical Center.
Approximately 4,600 hospitals were listed on CMS’s public information website, Hospital Compare, which is designed to make it easy for consumers to evaluate the quality of health care providers. According to the website, 1,102 hospitals did not receive a star rating, 101 hospitals received one star; 582 received two stars; 1,414 received three stars; 1,205 received four stars; and only 251 received five stars.
“We’re honored to be one of only 251 hospitals in the nation to receive the highest patient satisfaction score possible on CMS’s new star rating system,” Chief Operating Officer Juanita Deskins said. “Our nurses, physicians and staff strive daily to deliver quality care to our patients. This score reflects their commitment to achieving excellence.”
CMS reports that the star rating system is part of a larger effort to build a health care system that delivers better care, spends health care dollars more wisely and results in healthier people.
Ratings are based on data from the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Survey (HCAHPS), which measures patients’ perspectives on topics like:
• How well nurses and doctors communicated with patients
• How responsive hospital staff were to patient needs
• How clean and quiet hospital environment was
• How well patients were prepared for post-hospital settings
Consumers can see 12 HCAHPS Star Ratings on the Hospital Compare online database, one for each of the 11 publicly-reported categories, plus a summary star rating. PMC rated above the national average in every category.
Inpatient areas included in the scoring are the oncology, surgical, orthopedic, medical, obstetrics-gynecology and cardiothoracic vascular units and the inpatient rehabilitation hospital.
PMC sets high goals in each HCAHPS measure. Assistant Vice President of Administration Cory Weatherford focuses daily on improving patient satisfaction.
“We hold ourselves accountable to a high standard,” said Weatherford. “I’m pleased to see this reflected in CMS’s new star rating system.”
PMC President and CEO Walter E. May and other administrators expressed their appreciation for the hospital’s rating.
“Credit for this five-star ranking goes to our approximately 2,500 employees who try to treat each patient as if they were a member of their own family…as if it were their own mother, father, brother or sister in the hospital,” May said. “That’s one way we’re delivering quality health care in a Christian environment.”
Chief Nursing Officer Debra Parsons said, “It’s an honor to see that our patients are recognizing the efforts of our skilled nursing team and staff.”
“The medical staff is dedicated to achieving high patient satisfaction,” said Chief of Staff Aaron Crum, MD. “It’s a privilege to play a part in obtaining a perfect rating.”
About PMC
PMC is a 261-bed hospital offering more than 400 services, including every major specialty and many subspecialties. An 11-story Clinic and 10-story parking garage were recently opened on the hospital’s main campus.
A proud member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network, PMC employs approximately 2,500 people. The hospital was named one of the Best Places to Work in Kentucky for seven years and ranked in the top 10 Best Places to Work in the nation by Modern Healthcare for four years. PMC is a three-time winner of National Hospital of the Year.
PMC’s mission is to provide quality, regional health care in a Christian environment. Visit pikevillehospital.org.
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