Seeing STARs: Augusta and Palmyra Clinics Win Patient Satisfaction Awards

Patient satisfaction is tops at the Augusta Family Medicine Clinic and the Palmyra Clinic, according to national benchmark data on academic clinics and hospitals.

The Palmyra clinic has received UW Health's STAR performer status six times in a row, while the Augusta clinic has received it four times in a row. STAR performer status is awarded to clinics who score in the 90th percentile or above among teaching clinics and hospitals, as measured by the Press Ganey patient satisfaction survey.

"Clinics who receive STAR performer status truly demonstrate the highest level of service excellence," said Jennifer Meier, patient satisfaction coordinator at UW Health. "There have only been seven Press Ganey reporting periods so far, and very few clinics have achieved STAR status this many times in a row," she added.

Staff at the two clinics agree that excellent care and patient respect are the keys to outstanding satisfaction.

"We work hard at being adaptable and flexible, and we have a culture of respect for our patients," said Lynette Alvarado, LPN, clinic manager at the Palmyra Clinic. "It gets down to the personal touch," she added. "Our community knows we provide high-quality care, and we provide it in a comfortable, hometown atmosphere."

"We've always offered accessible, quality care, and we put patients first," said Theresa Kerg, clinic supervisor at the August Family Medicine Clinic. "We've done many internal surveys, and they've always come back positive," she added. "With the Press Ganey survey, now others can see that, too."

The Press Ganey survey is sent to selected patients approximately 12 to 14 days after a clinic visit. It consists of over 40 questions designed to capture patients' impressions of their entire visit, from scheduling to registration to interactions with nurses and physicians.