Rankings for Inpatient Meals on Upswing

Thanks in part to speedy, customized room service meal options in more areas of the hospital, BWH received its highest meal scores ever on the Press Ganey inpatient satisfaction quarterly survey report, topping an upward trend during the past four quarters.

“Since we started room service in 2004 in the Connors Center for Women and Newborns and, more recently, rolled it out to the Tower, we have seen a very dramatic jump in positive comments we’ve received from patients through the survey,” said Karen Purdy-Reilly, director of Food Services. “Being able to order what you want when you want it really contributes to overall patient satisfaction.”

Nearly 2,500 patients responded to the Press Ganey satisfaction survey for January, February and March. Patients gave the hospital an overall mean score of 85, putting BWH in the 86th percentile when compared to like-sized teaching hospitals for that quarter. Physicians saw an increase in scores in several categories, and nurse and admissions scores remained consistent with last quarter’s scores.

Overall physician scores increased slightly to 88.8, as the overall ratings for physicians increased in several categories. Physicians were scored at 83.5 for time spent with the patient. Compared to physicians at like-size teaching hospitals, BWH physicians ranked in the 87.4 percentile for keeping patients informed and BWH physicians’ skills ranked at the 94.5 percentile.

Nurse rankings remained consistent, with nurses rated in the 88.9 percentile for overall scores for the second straight quarter. Nurses rank in the 94th percentile for 500-plus bed teaching hospitals.

Admission ratings also remained consistent, with an overall mean score of 86.7. This puts BWH in the 81st percentile of 500-plus bed teaching hospitals. Tests and treatments changed slightly, from a score of 86.6 to 86.4, putting BWH in the 89th percentile of 500-plus bed teaching hospitals that use Press Ganey.

On the January-to-March quarterly report, patients gave BWH meals a score of 78.2, the highest quarterly score since the hospital began using Press Ganey inpatient satisfaction surveys. That puts BWH in the 63rd percentile—up from the 47th percentile—for meals compared to other 500-plus bed teaching facilities.