HealthGrades honors Eastern Long Island Hospital with Outstanding Patient Experience Award

Eastern Long Island Hospital (ELIH) is among the top 15 percent in the nation for patient experience based on an analysis of patient surveys from 3,775 hospitals across the country by HealthGrades, the leading independent healthcare ratings organization. By placing in the top 15 percent, ELIH received the 2010/2011 HealthGrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award(TM).

ELIH was one of only eight (8) recipients of the HealthGrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award(TM) in New York State, one of just two on Long Island and the ONLY awardee in Suffolk County, Long Island - alongside the prestigious facilities of St. Francis Hospital (Nassau County, Long Island) and the Hospital for Special Surgery (New York City).

Achieving the #3 spot for outstanding patient experience in New York City and the Long Island market area has been "the culmination of many years of patient-focused initiatives within the hospital," says Paul J Connor III, President and CEO of Eastern Long Island Hospital. He goes on to say, "While we are honored to be receiving this award from HealthGrades, we know it is really our patient community that stands behind the award. This honor is a tribute to the staff for all the talent, hard work and heart they bring to work every day."

Obama's healthcare reform act contains provisions that mandate hospital quality measurements so that Americans can accurately compare hospitals and make informed health care decisions. ELIH has achieved these Federal mandates, ahead of schedule, and as such has been awarded the OUTSTANDING PATIENT EXPERIENCE AWARD by HealthGrades, a leading independent healthcare ratings organization.

Eastern Long Island Hospital, along with 3,775 hospitals in the nation, participated in the annual Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey, or HCAHPS. The HCAHPS survey was mailed to recently discharged patients between July 2008 and June 2009 and includes 27 questions related to physician and nurse communication, hospital staff responsiveness, hospital cleanliness and noise levels, medication information, and post-discharge care instructions. It is a national, standardized, publicly reported survey of patients' perspectives of hospital care.

Patient Survey Questions - Completed Anonymously

The 27 survey questions fell into the following 10 categories. The first two questions are so important that they are weighted and account for 50% of the final rating:

1. Overall rating: How do patients rate the hospital overall?
2. Recommendation to family/friends: Would patients recommend the hospital to friends and family?
3. Communication with doctors: How often did doctors communicate well with patients?
4. Communication with nurses: How often did nurses communicate well with patients?
5. Responsiveness of hospital staff: How often did patients receive help quickly from hospital staff?
6. Pain management: How often was patients' pain well controlled?
7. Communication about medicines: How often did staff explain medicines before giving them to patients?
8. Discharge information: Were patients given information about what to do during their recovery at home? (This question was the only yes/no measure.)
9. Cleanliness: How often were the patients' rooms and bathrooms kept clean?
10. Quietness: How often was the area around patients' rooms kept quiet at night?