A recent patient satisfaction survey shows the majority of people seeking medical care at Haywood Regional Medical Center are pleased with the inpatient and outpatient treatment they received. It also contains numerous comments praising the quality of care received at HRMC.

The second quarter report posted a 96 percent satisfaction rate for inpatients and 99.1 percent satisfaction rate for outpatients. That met or exceeded the hospital’s goals in both areas.

“Providing a positive patient experience is our number one goal at HRMC,” said Mike Poore, president and CEO for Haywood Regional Medical Center. “From advanced technology, a warm meal and medication administration, to pleasant bedside manners, all aspects of caring for patients are very important. It is great to see HRMC scoring high for patient care, because we know our customers have a choice.”

Many patients expressed gratitude that Haywood Regional is back in full operation after a four-month hiatus when the hospital’s Medicare contract and other insurance contracts were terminated. The hospital implemented additional training for staff and developed a corrective action plan that was accepted May 22.

“I thank God that our hospital has opened back up. It has all the qualities that anybody needs. It would receive a score of 100 percent on everything. I am very impressed with the staff. They’re very courteous,” one patient wrote on the survey. “Haywood Regional Medical Center, in my opinion, is the best and most efficient hospital facility around. I highly recommend it to everyone.”

The monthly survey, conducted by the contracted Jackson Group, collected responses from 150 patients in the Emergency Department, 57 inpatients and 72 outpatients.

“Haywood Regional also surveys 50 Emergency Department patients each month via phone surveys and our volunteers distribute about 350 surveys to inpatients each month. Our staff also gives surveys to outpatients upon discharge, on average about 225 per month,” said Kim Kwiatkowski, assistant director of Human Resources.

Haywood Regional Medical Center was established in 1927. The current facility opened in 1979. HRMC is a not-for-profit public hospital. It is the third largest employer in Haywood County, with more than 900 employees. For more information, go to www.haymed.org.