Quality initiatives
MultiCare Yakima Memorial uses the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) as one tool to measure our patients' perception of care. The CAHPS survey asks patients who have recently received care to give their opinion of that care. The results of the survey are compared nationally and are posted on the Hospital Compare website. Information on Hospital Compare reflects data collected from the previous calendar year.
Hospital Compare is part of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Quality Initiative and provides information about the quality of care at over 4,000 Medicare-certified hospitals across the country. You can use Hospital Compare to find hospitals, compare the quality of their care and view the results of patient surveys.
- Hospital quality measures: Data regarding selected quality measures such as heart attack and heart failure.
- Patient perception of care: The CAHPS survey asks patients who have recently received care to give their opinion of that care.
To view all of MultiCare Yakima Memorial's Quality Measures and CAHPS data, go to Hospital Compare and enter our ZIP code (98902).
The Joint Commission
As part of our commitment to our patients, MultiCare Yakima Memorial is evaluated by survey teams from The Joint Commission. The Joint Commission is the nation's oldest and largest healthcare accrediting body. Since its founding in 1951, The Joint Commission has been acknowledged as the leader in developing the highest standards for quality and safety in the delivery of healthcare and evaluating organization performance based on these standards.
Hospital accreditation is totally voluntary. YVM welcomes the opportunity to be surveyed in order to get the best information about how patients experience care.
"Speak Up" program
Healthcare organizations across the country are working to make healthcare safety a priority. Everyone has a role in making healthcare safe, from physicians and healthcare executives to nurses and technicians. Patients also play a vital role in making their care safe by becoming an active, involved and informed member of their healthcare team.
An Institute of Medicine (IOM) report has identified the occurrence of medical errors as a serious problem in the healthcare system. The IOM recommends, among other things, that a concerted effort be made to improve the public's awareness of the problem.
The "Speak Up" program, sponsored by The Joint Commission, urges patients to get involved in their care. Such efforts to increase consumer awareness and involvement are supported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This initiative provides simple advice on how patients can participate in making quality care a positive experience. Research shows that patients who take part in decisions about their healthcare are more likely to have better outcomes.
To help prevent healthcare errors, patients are urged to "Speak Up."
- Speak up! Patients with questions or concerns are encouraged to ask their healthcare team for clarification if they do not understand something.
- Patients are encouraged to pay attention to the care they are receiving. It's critical to receive the correct treatments and medications by the right healthcare professionals.
- Patients who are educated about their diagnosis, the medical tests they are undergoing and their treatment plan report feeling more confident.
- Trusted family members and friends can serve as a patient's advocate and make sure he or she is getting the care and treatment needed.
- Medication errors are the most common healthcare mistakes. Patients should know what medications they take and why they take them.
- It's important for patients to select a hospital, clinic, surgery center or other type of healthcare organization that has undergone a rigorous on-site evaluation against established, state-of-the-art quality and safety standards, such as that provided by The Joint Commission or The Washington State Department of Health.
- Patients have a right to participate in the decisions about their treatment. We never forget that the patient is at the center of the healthcare team.
Speak Up information is furnished courtesy of The Joint Commission. For more detailed information on what patients and their caregivers can do to ensure their rights, please visit The Joint Commission.
How quality care is defined at MultiCare Yakima Memorial
- Safe. Patients will not be harmed by the care that is intended to help them.
- Effective. Care will be based on scientific knowledge and applied in the best possible manner to ensure a good outcome.
- Patient-centered. Care will be respectful of and responsive to individual patient preferences, needs and values.
- Timely. efforts will be directed to reduce waiting times and delays.
- Efficient. Care will be given without wasting equipment, supplies, ideas and energy.
- Equitable. Care will not vary in quality because of personal characteristics such as gender, ethnicity and socio-economic status.
In order to promote better health and provide better care at a lower cost, MultiCare Yakima Memorial relies on data from state and national sources as well as patient feedback to inform decisions impacting our community's health.