HCAHPS

(Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems)

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has partnered with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), another agency in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to develop HCAHPS; the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Survey. CMS is using the 29-question HCAHPS survey (a standardized survey instrument and data collection methodology) to help healthcare consumers make "apples to apples" comparisons of hospital care from the patient perspective. Results from this survey were first published on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) website on March 28, 2008, with data from more than 2,500 hospitals around the country now available as part of this first release.

Griffin originally adopted the HCAHPS patient experience survey instrument as its sole patient satisfaction survey in 2005, and its scores have continued to compare favorably to both Connecticut hospitals and other hospitals participating in the various state and national pilots of the HCAHPS survey tool.

Griffin's historical and current fiscal year appear below, along with the average scores from Connecticut hospitals and hospitals across the country for each of the 9 composite HCAHPS categories. (Griffin's fiscal year runs from October 1 - September 30).

A fundamental belief at Griffin is that to provide an exceptional patient experience every employee is considered a caregiver. The hospital also believes that a patient's HCAHPS overall rating is based on the total hospital experience and includes the many unique aspects of the Planetree person-centered care model. This unique Planetree experience includes amenity services such as: volunteers baking muffins and cookies in residential kitchens on patient units; gentle hand rubs provided to patients; live entertainment, including musicians and artists on nursing units; and the hospital's therapy dog visitation program.

Griffin continues to dedicate its efforts at the department level and through interdisciplinary groups to create an exceptional patient experience. The hospital appreciates the feedback it receives from its patients and visitors, which it uses to further improve its care processes. If you would like to provide feedback on your Griffin Hospital experience please email us.