LIHU’E — Wilcox Memorial Hospital has been named one of 100 top hospitals across the nation rated for high performance standards. It is the only hospital in the state named to the list, which is based on a study done
LIHU’E — Wilcox Memorial Hospital has been named one of 100 top hospitals
across the nation rated for high performance standards.
It is the only
hospital in the state named to the list, which is based on a study done by the
Health Care Information Association (HCIA) and The Health Network.
The
study identifies hospitals that have demonstrated benchmark
performance.
“The 100 Top Hospitals are shining examples of hospitals that
have built a culture around continuous performance improvement,” said Jean
Chenoweth, HCIA senior vice president.
HCIA has developed a model for
measuring high performance that identifies top-performing hospitals on key
measures related to clinical practices, operations and financial
management.
The study is based on publicly available data and reports
regarding profits, expenses, occupancy, productivity and other factors.
The
honor came as a surprise to Wilcox administrators, said Lani Yukimura, director
of marketing and communications for Wilcox Health System. “We’re
thrilled.”
The Lihu’e hospital was included in the small hospitals category
(25-99 acute-care beds), even though the hospital has 110 long-term-care
beds.
The entire state should be proud of the fact that Wilcox made the
list, said Dr. David W. Patton, Wilcox Health System president and chief
executive officer.
“It’s really quite an honor to be part of this group.
We’re in really nice company.”
Hospitals on the Top 100 list consistently
perform well in categories like effective uses of resources and efficient
provision of care, quality of care, efficiency of operations and sustainability
of overall performance.
They also tend to manage debt better than their
peers, Patton told The Garden Island.
The study shows that the hospitals on
the list treat sicker patients, and treat them better than other hospitals;
work with fewer staff members and treat more patients; and in general are twice
as profitable as other hospitals.
Customer satisfaction is a high priority
for both the hospital and Kaua’i Medical Clinic, Yukimura said.
Performance
improvement is key, “and we do it well,” she said.
Customer satisfaction is
important for both those who stay in the hospital and those who do not, and
Patton feels that is the foundation for the continued success of the system,
Yukimura said.
“We’re looking a our corporate culture,” and since the
merging of the clinics and hospital, the combined administration and staff are
looking at ways to maximize customer service while building relationships
between clinic and hospital staff, she added.
Both Patton, and Paul
Douglass, chairman of the hospital board of directors, have received an
invitation to attend an awards gathering and to participate in the 100 Top
Hospitals Summit: Captains of Industry, to be held in Orlando, Fla. in early
2000.
Patton said he and Douglass might make the trip.
