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2009

Patient Satisfaction Scores Among Nation's Best

Patient Satisfaction scores at Centra Health continue to be among the nation's leaders according to the third quarter results released by Press, Ganey Associates. Scores earned for overall inpatient satisfaction by Centra Health's Virginia Baptist Hospital and Lynchburg General Hospital were in the 93rd percentile for the period of July through September.

Press, Ganey, a national healthcare survey research firm, tabulated responses in the third quarter from over 450,000 patients from 831 hospitals nationwide. Centra Health's overall inpatient satisfaction scores have been among the top 10 percent of all hospitals in the country for four consecutive quarters and for 11 of the last 13.

"Our consistently high patient satisfaction scores speak volumes about the commitment of our staff," noted George Dawson, president of Centra Health. "Throughout the organization we stress the importance of treating patients like family members. Every day patients fill out report cards on their experience and we are incredibly proud that they are consistently giving us A's."

Centra Health also tracks scores for ambulatory surgery and for the emergency department. Patient satisfaction scores earned in ambulatory surgery have been above the 80th percentile, and often above the 90th percentile, each quarter for the last three years.

The emergency department at Lynchburg General Hospital reached an all-time high in patient satisfaction in the third quarter, earning scores at the 88th percentile among similar large facilities. For four of the last five quarters the ED has been rated among the top 25% of all large emergency departments.

"We are in midst of a year-long renovation of the emergency department," said Marleen DeLauder, vice president for emergency services. "It is quite a compliment to staff to achieve this improvement in the face of these disruptions."

"It has taken a great deal of effort and commitment to get to this point where we are recognized as one the nation's leaders in patient satisfaction," Dawson said. "Our goal going forward is to build on that record."