Award-Winning Care

Portland Shriners Hospital Receives Guardian of Excellence Award from Press Ganey

At the heart of the Portland Shriners Hospital is a mission driven to create an exceptional patient experience by providing high-quality care in a family-centered environment. This year, the Portland Shriners Hospital was pleased to accept the Guardian of Excellence award for Patient Experience in Inpatient Pediatric from Press Ganey, recognizing the high-ranking patient experience cultivated by hospital staff members.

Awarded for consistently achieving favorable patient survey results, the Guardian of Excellence Award demonstrates the collaborative team effort utilized at the Portland Shriners Hospital to ensure the patient’s experience is at the forefront of everything they do. Press Ganey honors hospitals nationally with this award that have reached the 95th percentile for patient experience, employee or physician engagement, or clinical quality performance. Being recognized in the category for "patient experience" means that the Portland Shriners Hospital ranked higher than 95% of other hospitals when it comes to the quality of the patient experience. Press Ganey presents these awards annually based on one year of data.

“This award recognizes our highly-engaged care teams for their ability to consistently provide an exceptional patient experience,” said Carol Simmons, RN, MSN, director of patient care services. “We always put the patient and family first in all of our decision making.”

There are countless examples of staff members at the Portland Shriners Hospital exceeding expectations for patients and their families. Opportunities to optimize a patient's stay by learning what comfort measures, entertainment, and distractions help them feel at home are constantly seized by staff members. Examples include nurses singing to patients to comfort them, themed ‘halo-off’ parties planned specifically around a patient’s interests, and hand-delivered meals to a patient’s room.

“Our organizational culture is one of empathy, patient-centered care, and excellence,” said Carol. “Our entire team here at Shriners [Hospitals] recognizes that being hospitalized can be a very difficult time for the patient and family. Our physicians, nurses and multidisciplinary teams personalize every patient encounter.”

This celebrated organizational culture is cultivated on a hospital-wide level, manifested by all employees including environmental services staff, orthopaedic physicians, nutrition services and inpatient staff. The list goes on to fully embody a compassionate and patient-centered environment. It is this established employee mentality that makes patients and their families feel at ease regardless of where they go in the building or who they interact with, contributing to a positive overall hospital experience.