Transparency

[trans-pair-uh n-see, -par-]
noun: Free from pretense or deceit; open, frank, candid; characterized by visibility of information.

Embracing Transparency. Empowering Patients.

Our goal at Carson Tahoe Health is to offer exceptional patient-centered care to our friends, neighbors, and loved ones who look to us for their health and well-being. Carson Tahoe adheres to the highest standards and best practices to produce the greatest possible outcomes. Posting the public performance evaluations from reputable national reporting agencies will allow the community to see that we are serious about our commitment to meet or exceed expectations. Whether our scores are above, below or at the national level, Carson Tahoe remains steadfast in our dedication to improve the patient experience.

*Information used for determining scores by various reporting agencies may be up to 3 years behind current data. Therefore, new data is constantly being added and targets are being adjusted accordingly.

Quality Focused. Patient Centered.

Carson Tahoe Health understands that putting patients first requires more than state-of-the-art clinical care - it requires care that addresses every aspect of a patient's encounter with our organization, including the patient's physical comfort, as well as his or her educational, emotional and spiritual needs. We are committed to treating the whole person through compassionate, patient-centered care.

For many years, the job of healthcare providers in the U.S. was to focus on treating and healing patients. Today, the goal of healing patients has expanded beyond clinical outcomes and technical capabilities of hospitals, to focusing on patient recollections about their experience. To help measure the patient experience, patients are randomly selected to complete a Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) satisfaction survey. Unlike traditional surveys, which ask patients if they were satisfied with their care, HCAHPS evaluates patient recollections of their experiences. HCAHPS is a standardized survey used by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid.

At Carson Tahoe Health, we embrace the HCAHPS survey, as it allows us to evaluate the patient experience, track our progress to enhance care and service, and identify areas of excellence as well as opportunities for improvement.

HCAHPS scores are reported monthly by CMS, and are based on the previous 30-day reporting period.

Improving Healthcare. One Patient at a Time.

Next to guaranteeing a safe outcome, the patient experience is second-to-none at Carson Tahoe Health. Our commitment to patient satisfaction is reflected at the heart of our culture through the guiding principles of the Carson Tahoe Way, which was created by our employees and patients, for our employees and patients. A cornerstone of the Carson Tahoe Way is our 'True North' statement: "Together we inspire hope and build trust through compassion, excellence and personalized care, every day, every step of the way." This is our pledge to the communities we serve and it is what we strive to create for every individual who walks through our doors. Some of the steps we are taking to help provide the best possible patient experience for our friends, neighbors, and loved ones include the following:

• Creating a Patient-Centered Healing Environment - Research shows that caring for patients in a beautiful, modern environment enhances their experience and can even lead to faster recovery times. We are pleased to provide a contemporary, serene setting that embraces the healing forces of nature, creating a caring, nurturing environment for our patients and their families. Additionally, we implemented a "Shh...Patient Healing" program designed to promote a peaceful experience for patients. As an example, you may notice that our overhead paging system is seldom used. Instead, our team members communicate with voice-controlled devices that enable instant two-way or one-to-many conversations among our staff without disrupting patients.
• Patient Experience Mapping - A diverse group of Carson Tahoe staff members came together to create a "map" of the patient journey showing the procedures and administrative processes involved in critical patient touch points. Through patient experience mapping, we've had the opportunity to view our care processes through the lenses of our patients, allowing us to identify any gaps that may exist so that we can make the necessary improvements. Patient experience mapping will continue to be an invaluable tool as we strive to be the highest rated hospital for patient satisfaction.
• No Pass Zone - At Carson Tahoe, our culture of responsibility means we understand that every call light represents a patient need, and that it is up to ALL of us to respond to every patient need, every time. The No Pass Zone means that all staff members, regardless of job title, are to respond to alarms and patient call lights when walking through the hallways. Please note that this initiative does not mean that non-clinical employees are expected to provide clinical care; it simply means that responding to call lights is everyone's responsibility. All employees are expected to acknowledge a call light by asking what the patient needs, providing immediate assistance for simple non-clinical tasks (e.g., moving a phone so that it is within reach), and connecting the patient with the appropriate caregiver for clinical needs. Together, we are pleased to support our patients in a team-oriented, patient-centered environment.
• Service Recovery - We believe that to be patient-centered, it is essential to utilize patient feedback to guide decisions and improvements at every level in our organization. If we fall short on our patients' expectations, we employ the HEART model... that's Hearing, Empathizing, Apologizing, Resolving and Thanking the patient for the opportunity to address their concerns. All concerns are documented on a Service Recovery form so that we can track what's happening throughout the system. Our Service Recovery Task Force, a diverse group of individuals representing departments throughout the health system, meets regularly to discuss any issues that may exist, and to develop action plans accordingly. This process has been invaluable to our organization, and a variety of positive changes have already been made. If you have a concern, we would appreciate the opportunity to address it. Please send your concern to [email protected] or call (775)445-8008. Thank you for your time, as your feedback is invaluable to helping us take patient satisfaction within our region to the next level.

View the latest messages/stories that our patients and their families have personally shared with us.

Patient Experience/Quality Rating Websites & Resources

Carson Tahoe's 5-Star Quality Rating from Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)

Current rating:

Information used for determining scores by various reporting agencies may be up to three years behind current data. Therefore, new data is constantly being added and targets are being adjusted accordingly.

Note: All reporting agencies use publicly reported data, but may apply differing statistical formulas for tabulating their rankings; thus, rankings may differ from agency to agency.

Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Model - List of Collaborators

For questions regarding transparency, please email [email protected].