Efforts by Saint Mary's to refocus its Nell J. Redfield Health Centers have won recognition from Press Ganey, an independent research firm that tracks patient-satisfaction scores.
Saint Mary's was one of three health-care organizations nationally to earn the Press Ganey Compass Award in the medical practice category.
The two Redfield Health Centers one on Neil Road, the other in Sun Valley refocused their efforts on pediatrics and family medicine in recent years. Staffing reductions in specialized areas helped stabilize the centers' finances.
Collections were boosted by more than 200 percent as patients who had received free services were asked to make payments on a sliding-fee schedule and insurance co-pays were routinely collected. Patients who no longer qualified for service at the centers were referred to other health providers.
At the same time, the patient-satisfaction scores measured by Press Ganey showed improvement in areas ranging the centers' medical care to their assistance with billing.
