Press, Ganey Associates and The MEDSTAT Group Announce Strategic Partnership to Link Patient Satisfaction and Clinical Outcomes Data

Business Wire, Oct 12, 1999

ANN ARBOR, Mich.--(BW HealthWire)--Oct. 12, 1999--

Press, Ganey Associates and The MEDSTAT Group, both recognized leaders in hospital performance improvement, announce a joint initiative to link patient satisfaction data with clinical outcomes information for hospitals. This new initiative will enable hospitals to measure the impact of their clinical quality improvement programs on patient satisfaction, an important step toward improving quality of care.

The new software application links a hospital's patient satisfaction data to its clinical and financial performance information. This means that hospitals are now able to compare the quality of care a patient receives while hospitalized to its effect on patient satisfaction. These effects can be measured at the hospital, nursing unit, product line, individual physician, and patient levels. For example, users can assess the extent to which their efforts to better manage lengths of stay impact patients' satisfaction with the care received while in the hospital.

"This new tool revolutionizes our focus on improving patient satisfaction," said Martin Leffin, vice president of quality services at Sisters of St. Francis Health System, an early adopter of the new software. "With this product, we can see our data in three dimensions, enabling us to save time, money, and most importantly, improve patient satisfaction and outcomes in our facilities."

More than ever before, healthcare organizations realize that patient perception is reality. In today's market of cost reductions, healthcare leaders desire to understand the impact their financial management of the institution and its staff will have, not only on the quality of care, but also on how the patient feels physically and emotionally. "Our data shows there's a direct relationship between patient satisfaction levels, the quality of care, and the patient's overall health status," said Irwin Press, Ph.D., president of Press, Ganey Associates. "Satisfied patients respond more positively to medical management, experience better clinical outcomes, and result in better financial outcomes for the hospital."

Press, Ganey maintains the world's largest patient satisfaction database and as a result, is able to create for its hospital clients national and regional satisfaction benchmarks segmented by clinical variables such as diagnosis-related groups. MEDSTAT's methodology for severity adjusting clinical and financial data is an industry standard. "The combination of severity-adjusted clinical and financial data with meaningful satisfaction data provides hospitals with a veritable gold mine for improving performance," said Gordon Tibbitts, vice president at MEDSTAT.

Press, Ganey Associates, www.pressganey.com, is the recognized leader in satisfaction measurement for the healthcare industry. Based in South Bend, Indiana, Press, Ganey Associates was founded in 1985 and is the world's largest healthcare satisfaction measurement firm, processing more than 4 million surveys annually for over 1,200 current healthcare client organizations. Press, Ganey provides tested, reliable satisfaction surveys, comprehensive management reports, and national comparative databases for our nation's performance improvement initiatives. Press, Ganey products include inpatient, emergency room, outpatient, ambulatory surgery, rehabilitation, medical practice, home health, home medical equipment, long term care, pediatric, psychiatric physician, and employee satisfaction surveys.

The MEDSTAT Group, www.medstat.com, is a healthcare information company that helps its clients manage the cost, quality, and strategic positioning of health services and benefits. MEDSTAT has the longest and most successful track record in the industry, providing databases, software applications, consulting, and research services to clients for almost two decades. Its nearly 1,000 clients include some of the nation's largest corporations, health plans, providers, pharmaceutical companies, and Federal and state government agencies. Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, The MEDSTAT Group is part of The Thomson Corporation.