August 25, 2014

Our commitment to providing excellent care to our patients has been spotlighted by two HealthStream Excellence Through Insight awards for two hospital departments.

Bethesda Butler Emergency Department and Good Samaritan Rehabilitation Department were honored in the small hospital category and overall patient experience category for inpatient rehabilitation, respectively.

"Over the years, our staff has made great efforts to provide the highest quality of care for our rehab patients," said Bob Pritts, administrator of Musculoskeletal & Rehabilitation Services. "It is a great honor for our team members to be recognized by the responses of our patients and families that allowed us to receive this award."

Award-winners must qualify by having been a HealthStream patient satisfaction client in 2013 and having scored in the 75th percentile or higher in a survey of at least 100 patients. Both TriHealth departments were chosen for having received the highest ratings in patient experiences among HealthStream clients and exceeding industry standards.

Since it opened 18 months ago, Bethesda Butler Emergency Department has developed a culture of caring for patients that made the award possible, said Kathy Lebowitz MSN, RN, CEN, NEA-BC, ED manager.

"I think what sets us apart the most is the culture we developed and nurture, which values the customer and staff, both internal and external," she said.

The department values shared leadership among team members and empowers them to become part of leadership decisions through opportunities related to education, policy writing, teamwork, professional organizations and others.

In this way, "staff have ownership in the department, which directly impacts our patient outcomes and satisfaction," Lebowitz said.

Both hospital departments will be recognized in September during an awards dinner at the HealthStream Leading Innovation in Patient Experience Conference in New Orleans.