Hillsdale Hospital distributes comment cards for both in-patient and out-patient visitors to our facility and receive more than 5,000 responses each year. These cards provide us with instant feedback as to how satisfied a patient was with the service they received at Hillsdale Hospital. These cards are reviewed daily (yes, daily) and if problems or concerns are brought to light, they are referred to the appropriate department for immediate action. These cards demonstrate to us what kind of “first impression” we have made on you, our customers. In today’s health care market, patients often have choices of where they will go; we want to make sure that if you choose us, you will feel that you made the right choice.

Hillsdale Hospital works closely with a third party vendor, Healthstream Research, to survey patients who have been admitted for in-patient services at our facility. Approximately 4 weeks after patients go home, Healthstream calls a set of patients to ask a standardized patient survey (prescribed by CMS) of our patients to evaluate satisfaction with many aspects of their stay. The Survey contains 9 key domains of the patients stay:

• Communication with doctors
• Communication with nurses
• Responsiveness of hospital staff
• Pain management
• Communication about medicines
• Discharge information
• Cleanliness
• Quietness
• Transition of care

There are 32 questions on the survey and this information is provided to the hospital as well as to the public via Hospital Compare.

View the latest summary report card

The litmus test for any hospital can and should be; did you get better? The Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services determines whether a hospital is doing a good job by whether patients admitted to the hospital have mortality (death) rates that are lower than the U.S. National Rate, about the same as the U.S. National Rate, or higher than the U.S. National Rate, given how sick they were when they were admitted to the hospital.

This information is available for all hospitals that provide services to Medicaid or Medicare patients in the United States. Hillsdale Hospital is the same as, or better than the National Rate for the diagnoses reported and has better outcomes of care than many of our regional competitors, large or small.

See outcomes of care comparisons at Hospital Compare.

Core measures are used to track a variety of evidence-based and heavily researched standards of care that have been shown to improve clinical outcomes for patients. Our core measures of care measure the quality of our services for heart attack, heart failure, community acquired pneumonia and surgical care infection prevention. Compliance with these measures is part of our effort to assure that Hillsdale Hospital is providing the right and/or recommended care based on scientific evidence.

The core measures provide information about the care you as a patient should receive when you arrive at the hospital, while you are here and instructions for your care after discharge. Improving these areas of care means you’re more likely to have a better health outcome.

Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI), commonly known as a heart attack, happens when the blood supply to part of the heart is cut off, causing some of the heart cells to die. AMI is often the result of plaque breaking off the artery walls and causing a blockage in the coronary artery. Untreated, AMI can lead to the damage and/or death of heart muscle tissue.

For more information on heart attack and the signs and symptoms to look for, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

Heart Failure is a condition where a problem with the structure or function of the heart makes it unable to pump enough blood to meet all the needs of the body. Heart failure is not the same as a heart attack, but it can be the result of a heart attack.

For more information about heart failure, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

Community Acquired Pneumonia is an inflammatory disease of the lungs. It is caused mainly by viruses, bacteria or a combination of both, but can also be caused by inhaling food, liquid, gases or dust and by fungi. Certain diseases, such as tuberculosis, can also cause pneumonia. Pneumonia is a common illness which occurs in all age groups, and is a leading cause of death among the elderly and people who are chronically and terminally ill. There are vaccines available to prevent certain types of pneumonia. Typical symptoms associated with pneumonia include cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing.

For fast facts on pneumonia, including vaccination information, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

For more information about pneumonia, including tips on prevention and vaccination, visit the American Lung Association website.

In 2016, Hillsdale Hospital implemented a Patient and Family Advisory Council. This representative group of patients and caregivers will meets bi-monthly with hospital staff to help improve clinical performance and patient safety issues at Hillsdale Hospital. The goal of the Advisory Council is to assist with the decision making process about such things as discharge orders, visiting hours, how nurses and physicians communicate with patients, and a myriad of additional issues.

In addition, the council will provide an opportunity to:

• Promote an improved relationship between patients, families, and hospital staff through improved communication.
• Provides a venue for patients and families to provide input into policy and program development.
• Provides an opportunity for patients and families to review recommendations referred to the council by staff or administration.
• Provides an opportunity for patients and families to actively participate in the development of new facilities and programs.
• Actively helps implement changes at Hillsdale Hospital.
• Collaborates as partners with staff, physicians, and administration in the planning and operation of specific programs.
• Provides opportunities for staff to listen to their patients and families.

Minutes will be posted on our patient and family advisory council web page. If you don’t find them here, please contact us and we will provide the latest copy to you.