Guadalupe Regional Medical Center has been named one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Patient Experience by the Women’s Choice Award®, America’s trusted referral source for the best in healthcare. The award signifies that GRMC has been ranked within the top 100 hospitals of similar size based on number of beds, of which there were four categories.

Patients today are more involved in their care and demand a greater experience throughout their entire journey of care, putting more pressure on healthcare providers to find ways to become more patient centered to meet these demands.

According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, good patient experience positively correlates to disease management, adherence to treatment plans and health outcomes. Providing good patient experience is also good for business as it results in greater employee morale and satisfaction, thereby reducing turnover and helping recruit top talent. It also keeps patients loyal and happy and less likely to change providers or systems again, helping the bottom line.

With a strong correlation between providing good patient experience throughout her journey and improved clinical quality measures including increased HCAHPS scores makes the investment a win-win for all. According to a survey of healthcare consumers, 82% of consumers would switch a healthcare provider as the result of a bad experience. And 86% of women would travel up to 50 miles for a hospital that was rated best inpatient experience.

Guadalupe Regional Medical Center is one of a total of 400 award recipients representing the hospitals that have met the highest standards for patient experience in the U.S. by the Women’s Choice Award.

“The significance of patient experience in healthcare is paramount, as it profoundly impacts treatment outcomes and overall well-being”, says Rhonda Unruh, Guadalupe Regional Medical Center’s Vice President of Quality. “Positive experiences within our facility cultivates trust, communication, and collaboration between our staff, providers and patients; which are essential for improved treatment outcomes and the high caliber of care received by each patient we are privileged to touch.”

The methodology used to select GRMC as one of the 100 Best Hospitals for Patient Experience is unique in that it evaluates specific Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey results along with primary research about women’s healthcare preferences. The Women’s Choice Award collects the data for the following HCAHPS survey measures and uses a weighted average to award the best hospitals for patient experience:

• Effective communication with nurses and doctors
• Responsiveness to requests for help
• Providing patient recovery information
• Explanation about medications before being administered
• Bathroom and room cleanliness
• Peacefulness of room at night
• Patient recommendation rating

“By raising your standards to meet the highest expectations – which studies show tend to be held by women – you’re giving everyone the best you have to offer. The Women’s Choice Award is so much more than an award. As one of America’s Best Hospitals for Patient Experience, your entire hospital and all of your service lines are lifted up for the exceptional experience you provide – not only for women but for all patients. What a great achievement!” said Delia Passi, founder and CEO of the Women’s Choice Award. “To help women simplify their choices, the 100 Best Hospitals for Patient Experience are awarded because they excel in the patient’s willingness to recommend, as well as doctor communications, staff help, cleanliness, providing recovery information, explanation of medications, communication by nurses and peacefulness of the room at night.”