Memorial Hermann Recognized for Patient Satisfaction

Press Ganey recently recognized Memorial Hermann and three of its hospitals for its innovative approach to customer experiences.

For its major initiatives the Art of Heart Patient Experience and Your Story, Our Passion Cancer Patient Experience programs, Memorial Hermann received the Press Ganey Success Story Award.

The Art of Heart is part of the Memorial Hermann Heart and Vascular service line, while Your Story, Our Passion is part of the System’s Cancer service line. Both programs track patient experiences in an attempt to better serve patients and families throughout the continuum of care.

Art of Heart
Now used at six of Memorial Hermann’s acute care hospitals, Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center kicked off the Art of Heart pilot in 2006. Within six months, it rose from the 50th to the 98th percentile in Press Ganey’s measurements of customer satisfaction.

The program centers on the nurse liaison, who is the core communicator between the physician, patient and family. The initiative also includes a partnership with the world-renowned Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Landscape art images are donated by the museum and replicated into bedside collateral.

The program offers multiple initiatives, including a heart patient portal Web site, healing notes to patients in ICU, patient help cards, patient journals, companion cards, heart ambassadors, lifestyle classes during the hospital stay and origami kits for waiting families to use.

The Art of Heart program has received recognition in Physician's Practice magazine and on National Public Radio news as a new and genuine approach to medicine. Patients have commented that their treatment has become more meaningful and positive because of the program’s initiatives.

Your Story, Our Passion
Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital kicked off the pilot of Your Story, Our Passion in late 2006. The efforts increased patient satisfaction scores from the 80th percentile to the 90th percentile.

The program allows front-line staff, physicians and cancer survivors to share their stories. In addition, journals are provided to cancer patients to enable them to document information important to their medical care and record each step of the journey.

Press Ganey partners with more than 7,000 health care organizations – including nearly 40 percent of U.S. hospitals – to measure and improve their quality of care. We send our surveys to millions of patients, employees, and physicians every year to produce the most comprehensive data on service quality and safety culture.

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