MUSC medical center has received an Excellence in Patient Care award given by the Studer Group.

The award is based upon exemplary "nurse communication" ratings on the HCAHPS patient survey.
HCAHPS, or Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems, is a national standardized survey tool used to measure adult inpatient perception of the quality of care people receive at a given acute care hospital.

The 27-question survey was created in 2002 by the combined efforts of The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Scores are publicly posted four times a year at http://www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov.

The Studer Group gives its Excellence in Patient Care awards based on very high scores in each of the HCAHPS categories. MUSC medical center received its award in the "500 and Above beds" category for having the best responses to HCAHPS questions regarding nursing performance in the areas of courtesy, careful listening and clear explanations.

"Providing a positive patient experience is one of our top priorities. We are very pleased to have our nurses recognized for their great work," said W. Stuart Smith, vice president for clinical operations and executive director, MUSC medical center.

Quint Studer, founder of Studer Group, explained, "This is the HCAHPS composite most highly correlated with overall satisfaction. In other words, communication matters — a lot. When nurses listen carefully, treat patients with courtesy and respect, and explain things in a way patients can understand, everyone wins. Patients get the best possible care, and the organization gets to feel good about providing it."