Horizon Health a Top Hospital for Physician Communication

Horizon Health is ranked among the best hospitals in the nation for the care its physicians provide.

Horizon Health achieved a “5-star” rating for physician communication through patient survey data released by the US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The survey, called Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS), measured patients' perspectives on inpatient care in 2022.

Horizon Health ranked among the top 330 hospitals in the nation for physician communication, according to Becker’s Hospital Review, a prominent healthcare media platform. Horizon Health was only one of eight Illinois hospitals to receive a top rating of five stars in that category. The Horizon Health hospitalist care team is led by Dr. Darren Brucken.

“The scores reflect the leadership of Dr. Brucken and inpatient nursing leaders to drive optimal patient experiences and outcomes,” said Rachel Kelley, Horizon Health chief nursing officer. “Their outstanding work supports our organization’s mission of providing excellent patient care.”

Darcie Mathews, inpatient services director, and Deb Story, medical/surgical unit manager, have been instrumental in “raising the bar on the patient experience,” Rachel added.

CMS shares 10 HCAHPS star ratings based on publicly reported HCAHPS measures. The physician communication star rating combines data from three HCAHPS survey questions. Those questions summarized how well patients felt their physicians explained things clearly, listened to them, and treated them with courtesy and respect.

“We believe the foundational platform for the delivery of high-quality healthcare is rooted in communication – that includes communication between the medical providers, our patients, and their families and caregivers,” Dr. Brucken said.

At Horizon Health, patient responses to the physician communication questions exceeded state and national scores. For example, 98 percent of Horizon Health patients said their doctor “always” or “usually” treated them with courtesy and respect, compared to 96 percent both statewide and nationally.

Hospital Discharge

Horizon Health also received a 5-star rating for hospital discharge satisfaction. Patients gave the highest rating possible when asked:

• Were you given information about what to do during your recovery at home
• Did you discuss whether you would need help after discharge
• Did you receive written information about possible symptoms to watch for after discharge

The HCAHPS survey is administered to a random sample of adult patients between 48 hours and six weeks after they are discharged from the hospital.