Texas Hospitals Ranked Based on Patient Engagement

Axial Exchange, Inc, a pioneer in using mobile apps to deepen the patient’s role in improving outcomes, recently announced the results of its Texas Patient Engagement Index (PEI), a groundbreaking index that ranks US hospitals based on an analysis of publically available data in three categories: personal health management, patient satisfaction, and social media engagement. This is the second regional PEI the company has issued; the first ranked top hospitals in Florida. Both states were selected because their demographics make them bellwethers for the rest of the country.

Axial Exchange’s methodology for ranking hospitals’ patient engagement performance is based on analyzing metrics that research has indicated lower costs and improve clinical outcomes. For each PEI, Axial Exchange evaluates provider organizations’ personal health management strategies, awarding maximum points to those organizations that not only offer electronic access to patient health records, but also provide resources for ongoing disease management support, including mobile, tablet, and desktop tools. Axial Exchange also ranks hospitals according to an annual Centers for Medicare and Medicaid patient satisfaction survey called the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Health Plans Survey, a standardized instrument for measuring patients' perspectives on hospital care. Lastly, Axial Exchange analyzes the extent to which hospitals and health systems engage their patients via social networking channels.

The highest possible ranking a hospital can receive in Axial Exchange PEI is a score of 100. Top ranking hospitals in the Texas PEI included Houston Northwest Medical Center, which received an overall score of 84; Park Plaza Hospital, which received a score of 83; and Providence Memorial Hospital in El Paso, which received a 76. Lower ranking hospitals in the PEI included notable healthcare institutions like Parkland Hospital, which scored a 41 and University Hospital in San Antonio, which scored a 36.

“The term ‘patient engagement’ has been so widely used that its true meaning has been diffused; people talk broadly about improving patient engagement, but have not done the analysis and research to determine exactly what types of patient engagement programs improve outcomes,” says Joanne Rohde, CEO of Axial Exchange. “However, we have done the research to determine which programs and tools actually drive more meaningful patient engagement that leads to improved patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower healthcare costs. My hope is that these indices we have issued, and will continue to compile and share, will encourage provider organizations across the country to reevaluate their patient engagement strategies and place higher emphasis on the programs that drive real change.”

Future indices for other US regions will debut throughout the coming months. All Texas hospitals were notified of their ranking, and provided with links to the published data for consideration in their own initiatives toward meaningful use and heightened reimbursement levels.

Source: Axial Exchange, Inc