×

Van Zandt star rating remains flat

In December, officials at the Van Zandt VA Medical Center predicted that the hospital would rise again to four stars in the VA’s internal rating system for the final quarter of fiscal 2016.

The hospital spent all the previous fiscal year at the maximum five stars, then fell to four at the beginning of 2016 — then to three for the following two quarters.

Alas, the prediction didn’t come true, and the hospital stayed stuck at the three-star level for the Strategic Analytics for Improvement and Learning, when final numbers came out last week.

Three stars represents mid-level performance among the 129 VA hospitals nationwide that provide acute inpatient or surgical care, according to Van Zandt spokeswoman Andrea Young.

For the fourth quarter, two Van Zandt measures fell, while two improved, Young said.

The rest remained the same, she said.

The chart that accompanies the star ratings includes 44 categories, each with benchmarks set at the 90th percentile — the level at which only 10 percent of the hospitals nationwide did better.

Van Zandt fell short of that high ideal in 32 categories.

It exceeded the ideal in the others.

How far the hospital fell short varied widely, depending on the category.

It fell just a little short of the top 10 percent in several “patient experience” categories.

It fell far short in several “employee satisfaction” categories, however.

In overall “efficiency,” it was short of the benchmark, but above the median.

Fiscal 2016 ended Sept. 30.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]

Starting at $4.39/week.

Subscribe Today