Central Vermont Medical Center is committed to providing our patients with the safest, highest-quality, patient and family centered care possible. A major part of our commitment to improving quality is our pledge to publicly share our performance data and provide clear explanations of what these measures mean.
Information about our performance in key areas helps you make good decisions about your health and health care. In this section, we report information about the quality of the care we provide at Central Vermont Medical Center. These results show you how well we do in some key areas. We compare our performance whenever possible.
To help consumers find information about the quality of health care provided in Vermont, the Health Department publishes an annual statewide comparative report containing information about quality of care, healthcare-acquired infection rates, patient safety, nurse staffing levels, financial health, cost for services, and related information. (See Hospital Report Card)
Patient and Family Centered Care
Central Vermont Medical Center participates in the Press Ganey Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey, which was developed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), a federal agency responsible for improving national health care quality and patient safety. This survey seeks to measure aspects of the patient experience in the hospital that aren’t addressed by medical outcomes data.
CVMC uses the Press Ganey Clinician & Group (CG) Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey (CG-CAHPS) to objectively measure our ambulatory patients’ overall care experience. Ambulatory patients include those who come to the hospital for outpatient care as well as visit their doctor’s office.
Our Daily Safety Huddle
Recent studies show that consistently applied safety practices can have a dramatic impact on patient experience, patient outcomes, quality of care, safety and overall health care costs. CVMC conducts a Daily Safety Huddle, which is an evidence-based forum to efficiently communicate operational status as well as significant safety, quality or service events. We review events that have occurred in the last 24 hours and events/threats to safety anticipated in the next 24 hours. We do this because one of the core pillars of a High Reliability Organization is “sensitivity to operations.”
The Daily Safety Huddle provides leaders a high level of awareness of operational conditions and a big picture understanding of work conditions (i.e., what is going on and how the current state might support or threaten safety). This benefits our patients, families and staff as it ensures a care environment focused on safe, high quality care. It focuses the leadership team on creating a better experience, and timely service response and recovery through quick resolution of concerns and issues.
Hospital Report Card
To help consumers find information about the quality of health care provided in Vermont, the Health Department publishes an annual statewide comparative report containing information about quality of care, healthcare-acquired infection rates, patient safety, nurse staffing levels, financial health, cost for services, and related information.