Providing and measuring quality care at St. Charles
St. Charles Health System is committed to providing the highest quality care possible for our patients. Hospitals often discuss quality by referring patients to studies, safety data and reports from third-party organizations.
Such information is vitally important to be sure. But here at St. Charles, we also recognize that the ultimate measure of quality is how our patients feel about their hospital experience. We know that in addition to outstanding performance in several measurable areas, patients also remember the doctor who took the time to answer every question and the nurse who brought an extra blanket and kind words at just the right moment.
With that in mind, we strive to provide our patients with excellent care in big and small ways — because we know it makes a difference.
Measuring quality
We are continually measuring several aspects of patient care to ensure that we aren't just talking about quality, but also consistently providing it. To that end, St. Charles has focused on three, local priorities:
- Reducing patient harm
- Reducing readmission rates
- Improving patient satisfaction
Our efforts include measuring processes and their results on a monthly, weekly and even daily basis. For example, if a patient falls, we assess how it happened and use that analysis to prevent future accidents.
In addition to our own quality initiatives, St. Charles also participates in many national quality programs including the National Partnership For Patients, an effort aimed at preventing patient injuries and complications. We use this information and much more to regularly analyze what's working in our hospitals, and to learn from what's not.
Quality focus leads to better care
Our commitment to quality care has truly benefited our patients. St. Charles has been recognized with numerous quality awards including:
- Recognized as a top performing health system for quality and efficiency by Thomson Reuters
- The American Heart Association Stroke Gold Quality Achievement Award
- March of Dimes Leading Practice Award
Transparency and accountability to our community
St. Charles values transparency, and the accountability it fosters. We know we're working hard to constantly assess and improve the quality of our care, but we also want you to be able to evaluate this data and our performance yourself.
