Fresno Heart & Surgical gets top patient experience rating

Stephanie Cole, a registered nurse at Fresno Heart & Surgical, was recently featured on MedWatch the TV show as a Health Care Hero.

Fresno Heart & Surgical Hospital has been named among the nation’s top 5% in patient experience in 2009 by HealthGrades, the nation’s leading, independent health care ratings organization. On Dec. 8, Fresno Heart & Surgical Hospital received the HealthGrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award, a designation based on patient survey data collected as part of the federal government’s Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems, or HCAHPS.

“We’re thrilled to have patients validate the top-notch care and service we strive to provide every day,” said Wanda Holderman, the hospital’s CEO. “This recognition is a testament to our wonderful staff’s focus on patients, from providing 5-star rated cardiac care and top surgical technology to serving restaurant-quality meals in private hotel-like patient suites.”

The federal HCAHPS initiative gathers patient responses to 27 survey questions related to physician and nurse communication, speed of responsiveness, hospital cleanliness and noise levels, medication information and post-discharge care instructions. The survey is designed to collect data so that health consumers can make objective and meaningful comparisons among hospitals on issues that are important to patients. The first public reporting of HCAHPS results was in March 2008.

To determine the recipients of the HealthGrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award, HealthGrades analyzed HCAHPS survey results for 2,592 hospitals nationwide. Hospitals had to meet bed size, survey size and clinical-quality thresholds to be considered for the award. The award is the first HealthGrades distinction based on patients’ perspective of hospital care.

Fresno Heart & Surgical, which just celebrated its 5th anniversary, has been named “best in the region for cardiac services” two years in a row, with 5-star ratings from HeatlhGrades in cardiac bypass surgery in 2007 and for treatment of heart attacks in both 2007 and 2008.

The hospital was initially designed to provide cardiovascular and surgery procedures but expanded in early 2006 to include bariatric and general surgery using minimally invasive techniques. Consistent with its mission to provide exceptional care, the hospital worked with top physicians, recruited experienced staff and purchased leading-edge equipment.

“HealthGrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award reflects Fresno Heart & Surgical’s strong commitment to providing its patients with a superior level of service, something the entire organization can take pride in,” said HealthGrades executive vice president Sarah Loughran.

This story was reported by Erin Kennedy. She can be reached at ekennedy@communitymedical.org.

Monday, December 08, 2008