New CMS Quality Rating System West Jefferson Medical Center –Again Highest Rated Hospital in the Metro Area with 4‐Star Summary Rating
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West Jefferson Medical Center is proud to announce it, once again, received a 4‐star overall summary rating through the new star rating system of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Earlier this year, CMS released its first ever hospital star ratings system on Hospital Compare, the agency’s public information website. The ratings are intended by the agency to make it easier for consumers to choose a hospital and understand the quality of care. CMS said these ratings are designed to help hospitals deliver better care, spend health care dollars more wisely and result in healthier people.
The Hospital Compare star ratings relate to patients’ experience of care at some 3,500 Medicare‐certified acute care hospitals. The ratings are based on data from the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Survey (HCAHPS) measures that are included in Hospital Compare. According to Advisory Board, a leading healthcare research and consulting firm, only 36.5% of hospitals received a 4‐star rating. “Our vision is to provide our patients an experience which exemplifies our motto “Our Family Caring for Your Family,” said Nancy R. Cassagne, CEO of West Jefferson Medical Center. “We are gratified to receive this high level of recognition and commend our staff across the organization for their dedication to providing quality care and excellent patient experiences.”
The HCAHPS data has been in use since 2006 to measure patients’ perspectives of hospital care, across many areas of the organization including:
- How well nurses and doctors communicated with patients
- How responsive hospital staff were to patient needs
- How clean and quiet hospital environments were, and
- How well patients were prepared for post‐hospital settings.
Consumers can find 12 HCAHPS Star Ratings on Hospital Compare, one for each of the 11 publicly reported HCAHPS measures, plus a summary star rating that combines or rolls up all the HCAHPS Star Ratings. These star ratings will be updated each quarter. To see the star ratings go to: