Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital gains ‘4-Star’ rating, wins top honors for healthcare excellence

[November 10, 2018]  The Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network (ICAHN) recently recognized Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital, Lincoln, for its ongoing commitment to exceptional quality of care, during a ceremony held October 29th at the I-Hotel and Conference Center, Champaign.

As part of the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Program (MBQIP), Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital and other critical access hospitals were asked to voluntarily participate in four defined domains of quality outcomes. These four domains include: Patient Safety/Inpatient; Patient Engagement; Care Transitions; and Outpatient Measures.

“Often, in rural hospitals, having a devoted staff member to abstract and submit this data can be both time-consuming and burdensome,” said Angie Charlet, ICAHN Director of Quality, Educational Services, and Compliance. “This hospital realizes how important quality of care and an engaged staff is for its patients…From its top leadership on throughout the facility, each strives for continued quality on a daily basis, and that is what we are celebrating today.”
 

Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital was recognized for its quality of care outcomes (for participating in all measures in all four domains), for being a top performer (over 95%) over two years in two domains, and for achieving a ‘4-Star’ HCAHPS Rating.

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) created the HCAHPS Star Ratings for consumers to more quickly and easily access the patient experience of care information provided on the Hospital Compare website. Star ratings will also allow consumers to more easily compare hospitals.

“We are very proud of our team for achieving this level of excellence in health quality,” said Dolan Dalpoas, President and CEO. “This is truly a team effort that recognizes our dedication to delivering a healthcare experience of which our patients and staff can be proud.”

ICAHN is a network of 57 small rural Illinois hospitals dedicated to strengthening the operations of its member hospitals through collaboration. The organization is composed of Illinois hospitals who have earned critical access hospital designation by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. ICAHN is recognized nationally for its work with rural healthcare and administers several state, federal, and private healthcare programs. The ICAHN office is located in Princeton, IL, and serves critical access hospitals across Illinois and is a nationally recognized state rural health network.

[Submitted by Angela Stoltzenburg, ALMH]