What is HCAHPS?
All three Baystate Health hospitals use a special survey called HCAHPS, or the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Hospital Survey to obtain information about patient satisfaction and patient experience. Many hospitals throughout the United States are using this survey. Soon After discharge from the hospital, patients are contacted by phone and are asked questions about their recent hospital stay.
Why do we measure patient satisfaction?
Our goal at Baystate Health is to provide exceptional healthcare in an environment that treats our patients and their families as individuals with dignity, respect and privacy. Baystate Medical Center, Baystate Franklin Medical Center and Baystate Mary Lane Hospital, along with the physician practices and home care services that make up Baystate Health are committed to providing the highest quality of care and patient satisfaction for our patients.
Listening to our patients' feedback is our most important way to learn about their experiences with our staff and services. We measure patient satisfaction as a way to understand and find opportunities to improve future patient experiences. By listening and responding to concerns, we are committed to forming relationships for loyalty and excellence. Our hospital teams are working very hard to listen carefully to our patients and address their needs. It is important that we earn their trust and improve every patient's and family’s experience.
If our patients are pleased with their experience at Baystate Health, they will recommend our services to others and return to us when they or their families need care. This positive relationship ensures the long-term success of Baystate Health and sustains our ability to achieve our mission.
How do we measure patient satisfaction?
Baystate Health uses an external company, Professional Research Consultants (PRC), to conduct telephone surveys.
PRC calls randomly selected patients who have been recently discharged and asks them questions about their recent hospital stay or visit, such as doctor and nurse communication, pain management, communication about medications, and discharge instructions. The surveys are with the utmost confidentiality.
We share information and results in a timely manner with our staff to work on improvements for future care and services. PRC defines "key drivers" for each unit's "Overall Quality of Care" and scores the unit accordingly, giving annual awards to those units whose patient satisfaction achievements are outstanding.
PRC provides results for our inpatient care, emergency department care, ambulatory care, obstetrical care, pediatric care, outpatient tests/treatment care, medical practice office visits, and home health service visits. We also survey patients who are transported by Baystate Health ambulance services.
What kinds of questions are included in the surveys?
We ask patients to rate their care and experiences regarding communications with doctors and nurses, impressions of their overall quality of care, and likelihood to recommend our services.
Our results are then compared to over 500 other hospitals and service areas in the PRC national database. Our hospital-specific scores allow us to see how we're doing and then track improvements over time. To learn more about the survey tools that Baystate Health facilities use, please click the following link: HCAHPS Fact Sheet
As part of the inpatient survey for medical, surgical and obstetrical patients, we ask a few extra questions that are then posted on the national Hospital Compare.govwebsite. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services provides a free consumer website with up-to-date hospital quality and patient satisfaction information: Hospital Compare
What if I have a question or comment about a recent experience at one of the Baystate Health facilities?
We care about your comments. Let us know your thoughts, including any concerns or matters that you may want to share with us. Please use any one of the contact addresses or telephone numbers below so that you can be assisted by the appropriate person, or contact us via email.
Contact Information
Director, Patient and Guest Relations
Baystate Medical Center
759 Chestnut Street
Springfield, MA 01199
413-794-5456
Manager, Quality
Baystate Franklin Medical Center
164 High Street Greenfield, MA 01301
413-733-2232
Manager, Quality and Risk Management
Baystate Mary Lane Hospital
85 South Street Ware, MA 01082
413-967-2153
If you have questions regarding the survey, please contact:
Manager, Patient Experience
Baystate Medical Center
759 Chestnut Street
Springfield, MA 01199
To learn more about patient satisfaction from the consumer's perspective, please check Hospital Care Quality Information from the Consumer Perspective.