Health First’s Viera Hospital again earned the highest rating of 5 stars for patient experience from the federal government. Viera Hospital was one of only 13 in Florida and among 466 U.S. hospitals to earn the elite ratings, which were released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for only the second time.
Health First’s Cape Canaveral Hospital again earned 4 stars, and Health First’s Palm Bay Hospital improved to 4 stars from 3 stars. Health First’s Holmes Regional Medical Center earned 3 stars.
“We would like to thank the Brevard community for giving us the opportunity to serve their healthcare needs and for their continued support as we pursue our mission to deliver the highest quality care,” said Stuart Mitchell, Health First’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer. “We are very proud of our associates, volunteers, physicians and leaders for the work they do every day to improve the health and wellness of the Space Coast.”
The 5-star rating is reserved for the highest performing hospitals in customer service and is based on patient experience scores reported in the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey. The survey covers topics such as how well doctors and nurses communicate with patients, how responsive hospital staff are to patient needs, how clean and quiet hospital environments are and how well patients are prepared for post-hospital settings.
This is only the second time CMS has evaluated more than 3,500 hospitals using the 1- to 5-star rating system for patient experience in an effort to make it easier for consumers to choose a hospital and understand the quality of care it delivers.
Stuart Mitchell,
Health First’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer