Two Healthcare Value Network Members Top the List on Consumer Reports Doctor Ratings in California

Consumer Reports has rated most clinics in California in the February 2014 issue.  Sutter Gould Medical Foundation and Palo Alto Medical Foundation were the two top rated physician groups in their respective geographies.

Consumer Reports (CR) continues on its quest to rate doctors on important processes for patients. This time, they have rated physicians in California. Consumer Reports “teamed with the California Healthcare Performance Information System, a nonprofit collaborative of health insurance plans, health care providers, businesses, and consumers.  The organization is on the cutting edge of providing reliable, meaningful, and fair information about physicians to consumers.

Using a comprehensive survey, they recently asked 58,873 California adults, all of whom had health insurance, about their experiences with their doctors. The findings provide important information about how well physicians communicate with patients, coordinate medical care, and provide access to routine and urgent care, as well as how patients rate their care overall. The survey also asks patients about their experiences with the office staff, such as nurses, receptionists, and the people who handle billing and insurance questions”.

CR did a comprehensive job in its evaluation. “These ratings have information on 170 physician groups across the state. Together, the groups provide about 90 percent of the health care received by Californians”. Applying lean thinking both organizations have dramatically improved the cost and quality of care delivery to their patients. This is resulting in results which are best in class and are continually improving.

At the Center, we believe public reporting of physician performance information is critical to drive improvement. We applaud CR and Palo Alto Medical Foundation as well as Sutter Gould Medical Group for their achievements.

You can read the special supplement here:  ConsumerReports_Cali_Health_Insert_022K141