Since 1942 Memorial Hospital of Converse County has coupled advanced medicine with hometown care in east central Wyoming. The Critical Access Hospital pioneered many healthcare firsts in Wyoming transforming itself from a small, traditional, community based hospital into a regional thought-leader and healthcare destination. In 2013, Memorial Hospital partnered with the Studer Group and began hardwiring standards and behaviors for improved results. The use of AIDET to decrease patient anxiety is the most widely accepted of the Studer tools by staff and leaders have found rounding for outcomes and thank you notes to be equally as effective in reaching their goals.
During MHCC’s partnership with Studer Group, employee engagement has increased from the 47th percentile to the 87th. Inpatient satisfaction (HCAHPS Top Box) has increased from the 61th percentile to the 82nd and the ED patient satisfaction has increased from the 69th percentile to the 87th. In 2014, Memorial Hospital’s Surgical Department received the Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence Award for maintaining the 99th percentile in patient satisfaction for four straight quarters.
Senior Leadership’s weekly cascading of information and the” why” behind decisions, one of Memorial Hospital’s best practices, demonstrates their strong commitment to communication and transparency. Following the Senior Leadership’s weekly meeting, all of the leaders gather to hear from the Senior Leadership directly and have the opportunity to ask questions and share feedback. The Senior Leadership provides notes of the meeting for leaders to share with all employees, ensuring immediate sharing and consistency of the information throughout the organization.
Memorial Hospital is a Top 100 CAH and in 2014 was named the Best Small Town in the West and Northwest to Practice Medicine by Medscape. Memorial Hospital is one of just a few Wyoming hospitals with a four-star star rating from CMS and leads the state with an 82nd percentile ranking in those patients who gave their hospital a rating of 9 or 10.
To learn more about Memorial Hospital of Converse County, visit their website or check out their Facebook page.