Geisinger Jersey Shore Hospital earns highest scores for nurse-patient communication
Jersey Shore, Pa. – Geisinger Jersey Shore Hospital is one of seven Pennsylvania hospitals that received the highest marks for nurse communication, according to the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems scores from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
At least 89% of patients at the seven hospitals responded that "nurses always communicated well." Geisinger Jersey Shore’s latest score is 91%, which is 10% higher than the state average.
“It is no surprise that Geisinger Jersey Shore Hospital received high scores. We focused on discharge and medication teaching in the hospital and tailored it to meet the specific needs of our patients,” said Chelsea Reichard, nursing director at Geisinger Jersey Shore. “We worked hard to implement teach-back methodology, and these scores show it’s really working.”
The figures are from CMS' Hospital Compare website and represent data released Jan. 26 based on the time frame from July 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021. Read the results online at medicare.gov/care-compare.
At Geisinger Jersey Shore Hospital, the last year emphasized communicating to patients a thorough care plan, spanning from admission through discharge.
The revised processes are seeing success, as patients are better understanding their conditions and taking their medications as advised.
“We follow up with each of our patients after they are sent home, and we hear fewer questions during those phone calls. Our patients are having better outcomes because they comprehend and retain that knowledge,” concluded Reichard.
About Geisinger
Geisinger is among the nation’s leading providers of value-based care, serving 1.2 million people in urban and rural communities across Pennsylvania. Founded in 1915 by philanthropist Abigail Geisinger, the nonprofit system generates $10 billion in annual revenues across 126 care sites — including 10 hospital campuses — and Geisinger Health Plan, with more than half a million members in commercial and government plans. Geisinger College of Health Sciences educates more than 5,000 medical professionals annually and conducts more than 1,400 clinical research studies. With 26,000 employees, including 1,700 employed physicians, Geisinger is among Pennsylvania’s largest employers with an estimated economic impact of $15 billion to the state’s economy. On March 31, 2024, Geisinger became the first member of Risant Health, a new nonprofit charitable organization created to expand and accelerate value-based care across the country. Learn more at geisinger.org or follow on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.
