Gulf Breeze Hospital Remains Highest Ranked Area Hospital in Latest Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating

BALTIMORE, Md. – The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services awarded Gulf Breeze Hospital with its second consecutive four-star rating in the latest Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating. The agency first released its overall hospital quality star ratings in July of 2016. Gulf Breeze Hospital was one of 20 hospitals in the state of Florida and the only hospital in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties to receive a four-star rating or higher. Hospitals were assessed on measures for which they submit data and include patient experience, safety, and timely and effective care.

The Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating is designed to help individuals, their family members, and caregivers compare hospitals in an easily understandable way. Over the past decade, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has published information about the quality of care across the five different health care settings that most families encounter.

Star ratings reflect HCAHPS surveys as displayed in the Hospital Compare update released on October 20, 2016. Each hospital must have at least 100 completed surveys over a quarterly period and be eligible for public reporting of HCAHPS measures to receive a star rating. The agency released its first star ratings for hospitals in April 2015, and now updates the ratings based on new HCAHPS data on a quarterly basis.

The surveys place the assessment of hospital performance in the hands of the patient. Patients rate their care in key categories such as communication with nurses and responsiveness of physicians and staff. GBH uses the results to trend its own performance and compare to different hospitals in the region.

Hospital Compare data (last updated October 19, 2016): https://data.medicare.gov/Hospital-Compare/