By: Kirby Tello Illustration by: Sierra Lutz
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The 2018 Nueces County Medical Society (NCMS) Physicians’ HospitalbrQuality Survey results are in. The survey is conducted to gauge the overallbrquality of healthcare in the Coastal Bend. While many aspects of the surveybrfocus on medical staff and administration, hospital policies and procedures,brand even potential issues that can arise at healthcare facilities, the mainbrobjective of this study is to provide a benchmark for how our medical communitybrcan continue to raise the bar in offering stellar healthcare to our residents.
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“The goal of the survey is to stimulatebrproductive conversations between our members and the hospitals that operate inbrour county,” states Nueces County Medical Society President, Justin Hensley,brMD. “We want to promote collaborative relationships that result in quality carebrfor area residents, as well as meet the needs of NCMS member physicians.”
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The survey reveals statistics and results frombrthe six hospital facilities in Corpus Christi: South Texas Surgical, DriscollbrChildren’s Hospital, Corpus Christi Medical Center (CCMC) Doctor’s Regional,brCCMC Bay Area, CHRISTUS South, and CHRISTUS Shoreline. From the physicians’ perspective, the study revealed that 62 percent of doctors are satisfied withbrthe healthcare facilities overall. Although over the past two years physiciansbrhave identified that organizational changes have seemed to negatively impactbrtheir practice, the highest rated attribute among all six hospitals was thebroverall quality of nursing and support staff.
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The healthcare needs in the Coastal Bend are asbrprevalent as ever. With Spohn Memorial closing its doors last year and thebrcommunity awaiting the opening of the Spohn Shoreline expansion, Corpus ChristibrMedical Center (both Doctor’s Regional and Bay Area) continue to support the areabrby taking on increased patient volumes. In turn, physicians are bearing a lotbrof the burden. Inevitably they are at an elevated risk for burnout. This factorbris identified in the survey noting that 45 percent of physicians believe thebrnurturing of their stress levels and risk of burnout needs to be of topbrpriority to the hospital system.
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“Surveys like these give voice to the concernsbrof physicians and create a platform to drive productive, collaborativebrconversations with area hospitals,” says Gelb Consulting representative EdbrTucker. “Bringing the voice of the customer, in this case physicians, tobrhospitals helps ground anecdotal observations with solid research to inform andbrsupport decisions on where to improve and how to improve.”
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While the collected information identifies bestbrpractices and areas of opportunities for Corpus Christi’s healthcare system,brthe survey results point to a potential collective solution. All medicalbrproviders and individual hospital systems are needed to combine their availablebrresources to support the entire healthcare needs of the community. With abrcollaborative approach to patient care and the support of all providers,brphysicians, and medical staff, the patients can have the best and safestbrquality care.
