May 2017 Vol. 19 Issue 4
ECHO STORIES AND NEWS FROM THE HSS FAMILY
Education Day Highlights HSS Family Member Contributions to the Hospital
E
ducation is a crucial part of HSS and
HSS Recognized by Healthgrades ospital for Special
H
is critical to our success. It is important
Surgery was recently
that we are always learning to further our
recognized as a
purpose and mission. The HSS family is made up
recipient of the Healthgrades®
of many talented individuals, and we can learn a
Outstanding Patient Experience
great deal from one another. To help recognize and
Award™ for the third consecutive
celebrate this, the 19th annual Education Day took
year (2015-2017). HSS is among
place on March 17.
the top 5 percent of hospitals nationwide for patient
The theme of this year’s Education Day, which
experience, which is a remarkable feat, especially
was attended by nearly 2,000 individuals, was the
given the extraordinary changes that have occurred
Roadmap to 2020 and Transformation. The event
at the Hospital over the past year and a half.
highlighted the many ways members of the HSS family are contributing to our journey to ‘Better’
The Initiatives table featured information from the Employee Safety Committee.
Healthgrades, a quality ratings organization and the leading online resource for comprehensive
every day.
“This game showed that so many of the small steps
information about physicians and hospitals, is used
“Extraordinary things are happening all across
taking place across the Hospital have connections
by more than one million people each day.
the Hospital on a daily basis, throughout every
to many BIG IMPACTS,” said Pamela Katkin, PA-C,
“Third party ratings such as Healthgrades are having
single department,” said Scott DeNegre, PhD, Vice
MBA, Administrative Director, Physician Assistant
a greater impact on the healthcare decision-making
President, Operational Excellence, and Education
Department, and Education Day Committee
process for patients,” said Lou Shapiro, President
Day Committee Co-Chair. “Education Day gave the
Co-Chair. “This provided a great opportunity for
and CEO. “We are pleased to be recognized for the
HSS family a great opportunity to showcase the many
HSS family members to see how the work they
third consecutive year for providing outstanding care
ways we are all putting the Roadmap into action and
are doing every day is having great impacts on
and service to our patients.”
contributing to transformation across HSS.”
our goals as an organization.”
Healthgrades evaluated 3,489 hospitals that
Unlike previous Education Days, this year’s event
HSS family members at our regional locations
submitted at least 100 patient experience surveys
featured tables made up of interdisciplinary team
also celebrated Education Day with activities of
to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
members throughout the organization. Each table
their own, including a version of the ‘small steps,
(CMS), covering admissions from April 2015 – March
corresponded to a section of the Roadmap, such
BIG IMPACT’ matching game. Those in attendance
2016 to identify hospital performance in this area.
as Better, Foundation or Value, and helped explain
at the regional locations and on the main campus
They evaluated performance by applying a scoring
to those who attended how HSS family members
were given a tote bag filled with snacks from the
methodology to 10 patient experience measures,
are contributing.
Belaire Café as a gift.
using data collected from a 32-question patient
Additionally, at each table, attendees played a
Thank you to the many members of the HSS family
experience survey of the hospital’s own patients.
version of the same game. Every table selected
who were involved in organizing Education Day.
The survey questions focused on patients’ perspec-
15 ‘small steps’ and five ‘BIG IMPACT’ examples.
A special thanks to Eden Kalman, Senior Director,
tives of their care in the hospital, and topics ranged
Each person who visited the table was presented
Food and Nutrition Services, and Julie Skalicky,
from cleanliness and noise levels in patient rooms to
with a small steps card and asked to match it to one
Executive Secretary, Administrative Offices,
factors such as pain management and responsiveness
of the five BIG IMPACTS at the table. Once a match
who served as behind-the-scenes coordinators,
to patients’ needs. The measures also included
was made, the individuals at the table discussed why
organizing everything from room decorations to
whether a patient would recommend the hospital
the particular BIG IMPACT was chosen.
tote bags to snacks and more!
to friends or family. “Patients are more informed than ever before about what to expect in their hospital experience,” said Todd Albert, MD, Surgeon-In-Chief and Medical Director. “We approach each patient interaction with the goal of meeting and exceeding their expectations. I am proud that HSS has been recognized for providing such a great experience.”
Inside Although Lou Shapiro, President and CEO, could not attend the event in person, he was there in spirit!
Attendees played a game where they were given the chance to match small steps to the BIG IMPACTS they are having at HSS.
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