LCMC Health launches “star ratings” for physicians

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 4, 2019

MEDIA CONTACT:
Mary Beth Romig
Director of Public Relations
504-896-2759 504-606-8430 (cell)
Marybeth.Haskins@LCMChealth.org

Physician Reviews Provided by Patients

New Orleans, LA – Imagine… you are searching for a physician to care for you or your child. How do you choose? Ask a friend? Read a Yelp review? Google search?

LCMC Health is offering you a new way to find a doctor with “Star Ratings and Reviews.”

The first hospital system in Louisiana to use verified patient reviews, LCMC Health is now sharing our physicians’ patient satisfaction ratings online. LCMC Health is committed to transparency, which means posting all relevant feedback and comments patients provide.

“LCMC Health values the partnerships we have with our patients and their loved ones,” said Dr. John Heaton, President of Clinical and System Operations. “We are committed to providing our patients the information they need at their fingertips to make informed decisions about healthcare, and about the physicians and other providers who walk the care journey with patients.”

All ratings are submitted by actual patients and verified by a leading company in the patient satisfaction industry. All aspects of patient satisfaction are measured. The survey is mailed, emailed, or conducted via phone, LCMC Health patients within a few days following their appointments. Patients are asked to complete the survey and provide comments regarding specific aspects of care. This feedback is used to improve and enhance the care LCMC Health offers.

These transparent responses are used to create a star rating for each participating physician, with 5 stars as the highest rating possible. As the program launches, LCMC Health physicians have an average of 4.8, higher than the 4/7 national average. Since launching, LCMC Health has seen steady increases in provider ratings.

“As a primary care physician, being a part of an initiative that brings transparency to the forefront of healthcare inspires me to deliver the best care possible to my patients,” said Dr. Alan Bowers, an internal medicine physician at West Jefferson Medical Center. “As an organization, we now have the ability to gain valuable insight into the patient experience and most importantly, be our patients’ trusted source for health care information.”

“Sharing our patients’ feedback has not only been a great resource for our patients, but also our providers,” explained Dr. Christopher Lege, Internal Medicine physician at Touro. “We place a focus on creating a strong physician-patient relationship and when we receive these reviews praising our bedside manner or complementing our providers’ level of knowledge and compassion, it reinforces that we are providing our patients with the best care possible.”

“As a pediatrician, I imagine most of the comments come from parents and caregivers. Reading that I am approachable and that I take the time to explain everything is gratifying,” said Dr. Brandace Hider, a physician participating in the program. “I like to be sure my patients and families understand the care I am giving them.”

To see physicians from the LCMC Health system read their star ratings and reviews, visit https://www.lcmchealth.org/nrc-star-ratings-reviews-videos/.

Children’s Hospital
Touro
West Jefferson Medical Center

To learn more about the Star rating program, www.lcmchealth.org/providers