BRENTWOOD, Tenn.–(EMWNews)–QHR client hospitals in the Palouse

region, a rural area that spans from eastern Washington state into

Idaho, offer residents a variety of choices in healthcare. In fact,

within a 35-mile radius of Moscow, Idaho, and Pullman, Washington (the

centers of the Palouse), five

hospitals vie for patients – a healthy

competition that benefits consumers. Two Palouse regional hospitals, QHR

client Gritman Medical Center and

its neighbor eight miles to the West, Pullman

Regional Hospital have ranked number one in a recent survey by the Centers

for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in “overall

patient satisfaction” in the states of Idaho

and Washington, respectively.

According to CMS, the rankings are based on data collected by the Hospital

Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS).

The data was collected by surveying patients who had an overnight stay

in the hospital from October 2006 to June 2007. Satisfaction levels were

based on criteria including nurse and doctor communication, pain

management, room cleanliness, quietness of the facility, helpfulness of

the hospital staff, explanation of medications, and recovery information

upon discharge.

While many hospitals collect information on patient satisfaction, until

now there has been no universally applied national standard to gauge

quality levels, patient satisfaction levels or pricing information.

There has also been no method for publicly reporting this data. This new survey

now makes this possible.

“Gritman Medical Center and Pullman Regional

Hospital take great pride in sharing these number one rankings and much,

much more,” said Gritman

Medical Center CEO Jeff Martin. “We also

partner on physician recruitment and work together on programs such as

Project ACCESS, which helps seniors in rural counties get medical care

and social services. We share medical equipment, information and

knowledge, as well.”

According to Martin, the two hospitals even collaborated on a publicity

campaign when announcing the survey results to their respective

communities recently. The campaign included a news release and print,

radio and outdoor advertising.

“Ultimately, our patients and their families

benefit from the hospitals’ cooperative

efforts and good-natured competition,” he

added. “When hospitals work together, great

things can happen.”

Upon receiving news of Gritman Medical Center’s

HCAHPS ranking, QHR Senior Vice

President of Operations Bob

Vento said: “QHR

joins the team at Gritman Medical Center in celebrating both its

prestigious award and progressive partnership with Pullman Regional

Hospital. QHR strives to cultivate

strong, effective, forward-thinking leadership at each of its client

hospitals and we’re always proud when one

achieves such tremendous success.”

For more information on the CMS/HCAHPS

survey, please visit www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov.

QHR is a family of brands that has provided consulting, management

more information, go to www.qhr.com.

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