July 29, 2022

Five-star ratings for two of our hospitals

We were proud to see two of our hospitals receive five-star ratings from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services this week. Cox Medical Center Branson and Cox Monett Hospital each received the rating, which is the highest possible achievement in CMS’s overall hospital quality ratings.

CMS assigns the star ratings to hospitals based on performance in five quality categories, including: safety of care, readmission rates, patient experience and timely and effective care. This rating puts Cox Branson and Cox Monett among the top performers of the 4,500 hospitals surveyed nationwide.

I am so proud of the teams in Branson and Monett, and these ratings are a testament to the work of the medical staff and administrative teams, as well as current and previous leadership.

In addition to this week’s honors at Branson and Monett, Cox Barton County Hospital was recently named to the National Rural Health Association’s Top 20 list of “Best Practice” recipients in the quality category for critical access hospitals.

These achievements reflect the strength of the entities within our organization. It is exciting to see different parts of CoxHealth excelling in different ways, and I want to take a moment to recognize these achievements and thank our teams for a job well done.

At our Springfield hospitals, I am proud of the work that is underway as we pursue excellence in our own CMS star ratings. Cox South continues to move in a positive direction on these quality measures.

Our progress in Springfield is being led by our chief medical officer, Dr. Shawn Usery. Before stepping into his current role last year, Dr. Usery served as the chief medical officer of our Community Hospital Group. His work, alongside key leaders and medical staff, was at the center of the performance that has led to five-star ratings in Branson and Monett.

I am excited about what he brings to the table as our CMO, especially as a physician leader who has demonstrated knowledge of what it takes to achieve excellence.

As I have said before, I am addicted to progress and our teams are making great strides. I am proud of all we have achieved, and we have great things to come!

Remembering David Strong

I was saddened to share earlier this week that our dear friend and colleague David Strong passed away last weekend at his home.

David served as vice president and chief financial officer at Cox Medical Center Branson. Everyone who knew him always appreciated his sense of humor and his larger-than-life personality.

Like so many of our colleagues, David was professionally accomplished and active in the community. What many of us will remember most, though, is David’s love of God, his family, golf, and the outdoors. He was a part of our family, and he will live on in the many fond memories we enjoyed with him.

It is during these times of heartbreak that we come together to support one another, and I would ask that you please join me in keeping David’s family in your thoughts and prayers.

CoxHealth wins top Economic Impact honor from SBJ

On Thursday evening, CoxHealth was announced as a winner of the Springfield Business Journal’s Economic Impact awards. We were proud to be one of several health care organizations recognized, and we were grateful to receive the top honor in the 75+ years in business category. This is the third year in a row that we received this award, and that would not be possible without the care and compassion our employees provide patients every day.

Partnering with 37 North Expeditions for our well-being efforts

This week we announced the continued expansion of our ongoing staff well-being efforts with a new partnership with 37 North Expeditions.

37 North offers outdoor recreational excursions, and we are excited to partner with them for both on-site opportunities and off-site excursions that will allow our teams to take a break from their routine and recharge.

I love spending time outdoors, and our region has some of the best parks, trails, and waterways. I know that through outdoor experiences this partnership will provide space for teams to connect to themselves, others and nature, all of which are great steps for stress management and our well-being.

Voice of the patient

Adapted from patient feedback at Cox Monett: “The nursing care team was excellent to me and my family. My primary care nurse was wonderful.”

Thank you for all you do,

Max

Direct Line from Max Buetow for 7/29/2022