Healthgrades Names Fairview Hospital an Outstanding Patient Experience Award

Print Story | Email Story
GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Fairview Hospital announced that for the 12th consecutive year it has been recognized as a 2024 Outstanding Patient Experience Award recipient by Healthgrades, the leading resource consumers use to find a hospital or doctor. 
 
This achievement reflects Fairview Hospital's commitment to providing an exceptional care experience for patients and their loved ones.
 
"For 12 years running, the south Berkshire community has given Fairview Hospital the highest marks for patient care, and this is a testament to the dedication the Fairview team has for only providing the best care possible," said Darlene Rodowicz, President and CEO of Berkshire Health Systems. "Every member of the Fairview team should be justifiably proud of this incredible achievement."
 
Fairview Hospital's Vice President, Emmett Schuster, MHSA, ACHE, added, "Fairview Hospital is very proud of its history of excellent patient care and satisfaction. Our surveys speak to our Professionalism, Teamwork and Respect.  Our skills and attention to detail ensure our patients have the best care possible. We especially want to thank our community for their support and positive feedback."
 
"The name of the award says it all about how the clinical team and support staff uphold the highest standards of quality," said James Lederer, MD, BHS Chief Medical Officer/Chief Quality Officer. "Outstanding patient experience has made Fairview Hospital a model for the nation, and the entire staff shares in this commitment."
 
To identify the top hospitals for patient experience, Healthgrades applies a scoring methodology to ten patient experience measures using Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey data submitted by the hospital's own patients. Survey questions focus on patients' perceptions of their hospital care, from cleanliness and noise levels to medication explanations and staff responsiveness. The measures also include whether a patient would recommend the hospital to friends or family and their overall rating of the hospital.
 
For this annual analysis, Healthgrades evaluated more than 2,500 hospitals that submitted at least 100 patient experience surveys to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), covering admissions from January 2022 to December 2022. Of those hospitals evaluated, Fairview Hospital outperformed its peers–based on feedback from their own patients–to achieve this award.
 
"We commend Fairview Hospital for going above and beyond to provide a best-in-class care experience for patients during their hospital stay," said Brad Bowman, MD, chief medical officer and head of data sciences at Healthgrades. "Fairview Hospital's dedication to superior patient care is particularly impressive given recent declines in patient satisfaction scores across the country. We look forward to their continued leadership and commitment to ensuring the health and wellness of all patients."
 
Consumers can visit healthgrades.com to learn more about how Healthgrades measures hospital quality and access the complete Outstanding Patient Experience Award Methodology. A patient-friendly overview of our methodology is also available here

Tags: BHS,   BMC,   

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Pittsfield Adopts Surveillance Tech Oversight Ordinance

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— After two years of preparation, the City Council has adopted a surveillance technology ordinance regarding police body cameras and other equipment.

On Tuesday, a petition from Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren amending the City Code by adding Chapter 18 ½, Surveillance Technology Oversight, was approved.  Warren has championed this effort since 2022— before a five-year contract with body and dash cams was approved.

The ordinance will take effect 180 days after its adoption.

It is based on the Town of Amherst's modified version of the City of Cambridge Ordinance that uses an American Civil Liberties Union model for community control surveillance technology.

"This has been an issue that lots of communities have been looking at, both in Massachusetts and outside of Massachusetts, dealing with software that has some surveillance capability that could possibly have some negative impact on our citizens," Warren said.

The purpose of the ordinance is to provide regulations for surveillance technology acquisition, use by the city, or the use of the surveillance data it provides to safeguard the right of individuals' privacy balanced with the need to promote and provide safety and security.  

It aims to avoid marginalized communities being disproportionately affected by the use of this technology.  Warren would not be surprised if this were encompassed in a statue for statewide standards.

"Police body cameras have the potential to serve as a much-needed police oversight tool at a time of a growing recognition that the United States has a real problem with police violence. But if the technology is to be effective at providing oversight, reducing police abuses, and increasing community trust, it is vital that they be deployed with good policies to ensure they accomplish those goals," the ACLU explains on its website.

View Full Story

More Pittsfield Stories