Flagstaff Medical Center has been recognized as a national leader in patient satisfaction by HealthGrades® – the nation’s leading healthcare rating organization – and is one of only two hospitals in Arizona to receive the 2009 Outstanding Patient Experience Award™.

FMC is committed to providing the highest quality care to its patients and their families including excellence in care, superior medical knowledge and experience, the best technology available, and kindness and compassion from its staff.

“Flagstaff Medical Center prides itself on the quality of care and excellent customer service we deliver to our patients each and everyday,” said FMC President Bill Bradel. “Our commitment is to deliver an award-winning experience to every patient. Receiving this award is a true testament of our dedication to make patients our purpose and excellence our goal.” 

One of only 271 hospitals nationwide, FMC was recognized by HealthGrades for its commitment to patients, putting FMC in the nation’s top 15 percent of hospitals for outstanding patient experience. The ratings are based on the federal government’s Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) patient satisfaction survey.

HCAHPS is the first national-standardized, publicly reported survey of patients' perception of hospital care. This survey is part of the Hospital Quality Initiative developed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. While many hospitals collect patient satisfaction data, there previously had been no national standard for collecting, publicly reporting or comparing this information.

HealthGrades has a long history of clinical distinctions and awards. This is their first award based on patients’ perception of their care. To determine the recipients of the HealthGrades 2009 Outstanding Patient Experience Award, HealthGrades analyzed HCAPHS survey results from more than 2,500 hospitals nationwide. HCAHPS gathers patient responses to 27 survey questions related to physician and nurse communication, speed of responsiveness, hospital cleanliness and noise levels, medication information and post-discharge care instructions.  

FMC will celebrate receiving this prestigious award at noon, Tuesday, Feb. 24 in the FMC Dining Room. The ceremony will include an award presentation to FMC administration, board members and staff by HealthGrades, a mayoral proclamation honoring FMC’s achievement and a celebratory toast and cake for staff and visitors.