Northern Maine Medical Center recently received a five-star rating in patient experience and communications by physicians, nurses and staff, ranking it among the top hospitals nationwide.
The star ratings are based on patient surveys in the publically reported Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems among 4,000 hospitals nationwide, NMMC officials said.
Released this spring, the assessment reported that NMMC is among only 277 hospitals nationwide and only four in Maine receiving a five-star rating, the highest score possible, in overall patient experience.
The star-rating summarizes how well patients feel that physicians, nurses and staff explained things clearly, listened carefully to them, and treated them with courtesy and respect along with patient impressions of care and hospital cleanliness.
The hospital received five stars for physician communication with patients, one of 347 hospitals nationwide to do so, and also earned five stars for nurse communication with patients, placing it among 364 hospitals achieving that score.
Additionally, NMMC ranked with 530 hospitals with a five-star rating in staff communications.
“This is our patients speaking out and this is no small achievement when you consider there are approximately 4,000 hospitals in the United States participating in HCAHPS, and our hospital is among only 7 percent to earn the five-star patient experience rating,” said Jeff Zewe, president and CEO of NMMC.
“We are in select company. We are extremely proud of our team and the exceptional care provided to those we serve,” Zewe said. “The patient experience and excellence in communications with patients are differentiators in quality care and NMMC rang the bell in all categories.
“The five-star ratings underscore the commitment of our hospital family in offering the highest quality of care to our patients. And just as importantly it demonstrates how our patients feel about their care.”
