Where do the facts come from?

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services collects hospital performance information through the efforts of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov.  Ribbons and pies are from data that hospitals reported between April, 2008 and March 2009.

HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) is a national, standardized survey of hospital patients. HCAHPS (pronounced “H-caps”) was created to publicly report the patient’s perspective of hospital care. The survey asks a random sample of recently discharged patients about important aspects of their hospital experience.

HCAHPS was developed by a partnership of public and private organizations. Development of the survey was funded by the Federal government, specifically the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

For more on HCAHPS information, please see Information for Professionals on this website, or visit the official HCAHPS website: www.hcahpsonline.org.

How Often Are the Facts Updated?

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is projected to release new data four times a year (April, June, September and December).

The Maine Health Information Center (MHIC) calculates new state and national performance levels based on the updates.

The Maine Health Management Coalition(MHMC) then takes this information and updates the ratings shown on MHMC web site.

How Does MHMC Turn the Facts Into Ratings?

Blue Ribbon for Patient Experience:

Hospitals receive a blue ribbon when they have a score equal or greater than 2.5. This score is calculated by averaging the combined points received in the Overall Rating of Hospital and Likelihood of Recommending Hospital to Family or Friends measurement areas.

Points for Overall Rating of Hospital:

Points are determined by comparing a hospital’s performance to state and national levels.

MHMC used a variety of data resources to measure patient experience, safety, and clinical quality. If you would like to review these data sources yourself, please click on the links below:

• Hospital Patient Experience -  US Department of Health & Human Services