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The Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines “connection” as, “the relation between things that depend on, involve, or follow each other; a causal relationship.”

Implicit in this definition, when applied to human interaction, is a sense of kinship, interdependence and commonality. In health care, these words and phrases describe the critical link that forms between patients and their physicians and nurses.

In many ways, connectivity has taken on a new meaning in this age of social media and ...

Having a background in interpersonal communication, I’m often asked for quick tips and tricks to make changes in how patients view care providers’ communication skills. The hard truth, though, is that it is not easy to change how we relate to others, and it is not usually a fast process.  It takes time to achieve real progress in improving our communication, and it also takes a lot of self-reflection.

Before we jump to improving the ...

Hourly rounding. Many organizations struggle with this popular, yet challenging best practice. The data indicates that patients and their families are more satisfied with their overall care when purposeful hourly rounding is provided consistently. Yet, hospitals and caregivers who are confident in their hourly rounding programs often ask why their efforts are not reaping the expected reward in terms of patient experience outcomes. The answer typically lies somewhere in the gray area between their ...

Last Wednesday, Marilyn Tavenner dropped a word from her title. And she gained affirmation.

Following a 91-7 vote of the Senate, Tavenner went from “acting administrator” to “administrator” of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), becoming the first confirmed head of the federal agency since 2004. In doing so, she reaped validation for the work she has been doing since 2011, shepherding CMS, and the nation, through the early implementation of ...

National Nurses Week was established by the American Nurses Association to help celebrate nurses and all that they do. At Press Ganey, we recognize the importance of nurses in the patient experience every day. Our own nursing base includes more than 33 nurses working with four physicians and other clinical specialists to promote and support the development of patient-centered care models in health care systems nationwide.

The theme of Nurses Week this year is ...

As a nurse, we have the opportunity to heal the heart, mind, soul and body of our patients, their families and ourselves. They may forget your name, but they will never forget how you made them feel. -- Maya Angelou

Registered nurses are critical players in the quest for high-quality, value-based, patient-centered care, and make up the largest portion of the health care workforce in the country. Today, there are more than 3.1 million registered nurses ...

This week in Boston, we have seen both tragedy and hope.

On Patriot’s Day, known in Boston as Marathon Monday, my wife and I were in town excitedly following my daughter’s progress along the course as she ran her first marathon. We met her at several spots along the way, each time offering words of encouragement. Each time, as planned, we met her on the right side of the street.

Less than two miles from ...