HSS Recognized by Healthgrades for Outstanding Patient Experience

New York, NY—April 4, 2017

Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) announced today that it is a recipient of the Healthgrades 2017 Outstanding Patient Experience Award™ for the third consecutive year. Having received the distinction in 2015 and 2016, HSS is again recognized by Healthgrades as being among the top 5 percent of hospitals nationwide for patient experience.

Healthgrades evaluated 3,489 hospitals that submitted at least 100 patient experience surveys to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), covering admissions from April 2015 – March 2016 to identify hospital performance in this area.

"Third party ratings such as Healthgrades are having a greater impact on the healthcare decision making process for patients," said Louis A. Shapiro, president and CEO of HSS. "We are pleased to be recognized for the third consecutive year for providing outstanding care and service to our patients."

Healthgrades evaluated performance by applying a scoring methodology to 10 patient experience measures, using data collected from a 32-question patient experience survey of the hospital’s own patients. The survey questions focus on patients’ perspectives of their care in the hospital. The topics of these questions ranged from cleanliness and noise levels in patient rooms to factors such as pain management and responsiveness to patients’ needs. The measures also include whether a patient would recommend the hospital to friends or family.

"Patients are more informed than ever before about what to expect in their hospital experience," said Todd J. Albert, MD, surgeon-in-chief and medical director of HSS. "We approach each patient interaction with the goal of meeting and exceeding their expectations. I am proud that HSS has been recognized for providing such a great experience."

In order to be recognized by Healthgrades, hospitals must meet eligibility requirements for consideration, which in addition to number of survey responses, includes clinical performance thresholds. Nationally 2,941 hospitals met those requirements with 443 hospitals outperforming their peers, based on their patients’ responses in order to achieve this distinction. The performance of Hospital for Special Surgery places the organization among the top 5 percent in the nation.

Last fall, HSS received numerous distinctions in Healthgrades 2017 Report to the Nation including 5-star quality ratings in total hip replacement, back and neck surgery and spinal fusion surgery; inclusion in Healthgrades America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Spine Surgery, among others.

"Patient experience and satisfaction metrics resonate with consumers as they evaluate hospitals and select where they want to receive care," said Brad Bowman, Chief Medical Officer, Healthgrades.  "We commend those hospitals that have achieved the Healthgrades 2017 Outstanding Patient Experience Award for their commitment to delivering superior care experiences to patients during a hospital stay."

For more information about Healthgrades, to download a full copy of the report, or to get information about hospital and physician quality, visit: www.Healthgrades.com/quality today.