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"Because patients place a high value on the service aspects of theirhospital stay, providing them with a consistent, positive experience yearafter year is as important for hospitals as it is for any other serviceindustry," said David Stefan, executive director of the healthcare division atJ.D. Power and Associates.
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The service excellence distinction was determined by surveying a randomsample of recently discharged patients of Hackensack University Medical Centeron their perceptions of their hospital stay. Patient feedback was thencompared with the national benchmark established by the J.D. Power andAssociates National Hospital Service Performance Study(SM).
The telephone-based research conducted among patients focuses on the fivekey drivers of patient satisfaction with their overall hospital experiencethat were established in the national study: dignity and respect; speed andefficiency; comfort; information and communication; and emotional support.
Hackensack University Medical Center exceeds the national benchmark studyscores for overall inpatient satisfaction and cardiovascular satisfaction. Incomparison to the national study, the hospital performs particularly well inboth of these lines of service in the speed and efficiency with which thestaff delivered care to their patients. The medical center also receives highratings in the areas of availability of the doctor and the speed andefficiency of personnel conducting tests and treatments.
Hackensack also performs well in maintaining inpatient comfort,particularly with the nurses' concern about controlling pain and with foodserved. Cardiovascular patients give high ratings on the emotional supportprovided by the hospital, particularly in their confidence and trust in thedoctor's skill level and the nurses' willingness to address questions andconcerns.
Patients were asked to rate their level of trust and confidence in thehospital after their visit. Four in five cardiovascular patients and nearlythree in four inpatients indicate they have more or much more confidence inthe hospital after their most recent visit. Furthermore, overall trust andconfidence in the hospital is considerably higher among Hackensack inpatientsand cardiovascular patients, compared with the national average.
Non-government acute-care hospitals throughout the nation are eligible forthe J.D. Power and Associates Distinguished Hospital recognition forinpatient, emergency department, outpatient, and maternity services.Distinction is valid for one year, after which the hospital may reapply forthis recognition.
About J.D. Power and Associates
Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is anISO 9001-registered global marketing information services firm operating inkey business sectors including market research, forecasting, performanceimprovement, training and customer satisfaction. The firm's quality andsatisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumersannually. For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance,health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D.Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies. <
