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This spring, Monroe Clinic and its patients have something to cheer about as the organization earned five stars from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

"Five stars – the highest possible ranking – from a national review of patient satisfaction data is something to celebrate," shares Mike Sanders, Monroe Clinic President and CEO. "This achievement reinforces our position that the quality of care is not determined by the size of the organization."

Monroe Clinic is one of 251 hospitals nationwide to achieve a five-star rating. The federal report places Monroe Clinic in the top seven percent of hospitals. The report analyzes patient satisfaction data from over 3,500 hospitals of all sizes and all locations.

Through the rating system, hospitals receive anywhere from one to five stars, based on the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey. The HCAHPS survey is the first national, standardized, publicly-reported survey of patients' perspectives of hospital care. It measures patient experiences in 11 areas, including:

how well nurses and doctors communicate with patients

how responsive hospital staff members are to patient needs

how clean and quiet hospital environments are

how well patients are prepared for post-hospital settings

CMS introduced the program to allow consumers to research and compare their hospital's performance. In the past, Medicare used a similar system to rate nursing homes, dialysis centers and private Medicare Advantage insurance plans. This is the first HCAHPS hospital rating.

"The patient experience Star Ratings will make it easier for consumers to use the information on the Hospital Compare website and spotlight excellence in health care quality," said Dr. Patrick Conway, Acting Principal Deputy Administrator for CMS and Deputy Administrator for Innovation and Quality. "These star ratings also encourage hospitals and clinicians to strive to continuously improve the patient experience and quality of care delivered to all patients."

Individuals seeking more information can go online to medicare.gov/hospitalcompare.

Monroe Clinic

Monroe Clinic is a not-for-profit, single hospital health system serving communities in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Sponsored by the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes, the system includes a multi-specialty physician practice with 118 employed providers, 11 clinic locations, a 24-hour emergency department, a home care and hospice agency, a retail health clinic and primary care sites offering preventive, acute and rehabilitative care.

In 2013, Monroe Clinic provided $25.5 million, or approximately 15 percent of the total net operating revenue, in unreimbursed services to benefit the communities we serve. Monroe Clinic was named a Joint Commission Top Performer for 2013, and one of the 100 Top Hospitals® in the U.S. by Thomson Reuters in 2006 and 2008. The hospital building was certified LEED® Silver in 2013. For more information about Monroe Clinic, please visit monroeclinic.org.