| For the fourth year in a row, North Valley Hospital has received Avatar International’s Overall Best Performer Award, recognizing high performing hospitals that demonstrate consistency of highly-rated experiences by patients throughout the organization. Avatar International is an independent, industry leader in continuous quality improvement that measures customer expectations in healthcare and this acknowledgment is a recognition of its top performing hospital partners in 2011.
Since 2002, North Valley Hospital has used the Avatar patient satisfaction system to obtain detailed information about the care provided to patients who are cared for by the hospital. North Valley Hospital has been a recipient of the Exceeding Patient Expectations Award every year since then, and again has been awarded for the ninth year in a row.
The Overall Best Performer Award is based on the results of the hospital’s 2011 patient surveys. This national award is presented to the top facilities in Avatar’s national database with the highest overall combined score for Inpatient, Outpatient, Emergency Department, and Ambulatory Surgery. The Overall Best Performer Award recognizes high-performing facilities that demonstrate consistency of experiences by patients throughout the organization for care. The award represents the top 5% in Avatar’s national database.
The survey essentially acts as the hospital’s report card with respect to how well it’s doing while identifying opportunities for improvement. The hospital evaluation measures patient expectations, processes and outcomes for the department where patients were admitted. Patient feedback is vital in helping North Valley Hospital achieve and maintain outstanding customer service. Comments assist the continued efforts to evolve and improve the hospital’s stellar quality and care.
“North Valley Hospital is committed to patient-centered care and has implemented some new initiatives and expended others to continually improve the patient experience at the hospital and our outreach clinics,” said Mary Sterhan, Director of Planetree and Quality Performance Improvement. “In the last year, we launched a Patient Advisory Council made up of community members who meet with us regularly to provide feedback and recommendations from the patient perspective on how North Valley can improve its services. We also expanded the work of our Planetree committees composed of both staff and community representatives who focus on the topics of optimizing the Patient Experience, the evolution of Healing Design, clear and personal Communications, and fostering Care for the Caregiver.”
Patients and community members interested in participating in one of North Valley’s advisory councils are invited to call Mary Sterhan at 406-863-3511 for more information. Others can join the conversation on Facebook and share their experiences at North Valley Hospital at www.facebook.com/northvalleyhospital. |