The next website refresh is scheduled the third week of March 2009 and will add many new hospital to the database due to the Pay-for-Reporting initiative with HQA.

"We are very proud of our clients, and especially proud that they are continually scoring in the top of the database, even increasing their scores since March.  This just goes to show that hospitals' commitment to excellence directly impacts HCAHPS scores," stated PRC's President & CEO, Dr. Joe Inguanzo.  "We are pleased with the results and congratulate our clients."

For the HCAHPS Overall Hospital Rating, which patients rated on a 0-10 scale (worst hospital - best hospital), 82% of PRC's clients scored at or above the national average.  This is an increase of 14 percentage points since March, when 68% of PRC's clients scored in the top half of the database.

When researching patients' Likelihood to Recommend the Hospital, to which patients responded with a four-point scale (Yes, Definitely Recommend - No, Definitely Will Not Recommend), 87% of PRC's clients scored at or above the national average, an increase of ten percentage points since March (73%). 

Additionally, 87% of PRC clients' survey response rates were at or above the national average response rate.  This is an increase of five percentage points from March 2008.

Many hospitals chose not to begin HCAHPS data collection until they were "required" to with July 2007 discharges.  For these hospitals, their HCAHPS scores will be posted on the Hospital Compare website in March 2009.

Download this article to learn the difference between loyalty and public reporting and why "Excellent" is a higher standard than "Always."