BLUE HILL - Blue Hill Memorial Hospital (BHMH) has been named a Five Star Service National Award winner for "Exceeding Patient Expectations in 2003" by Avatar International, Inc.

In accepting this award, Timothy F. Garrity, CEO of BHMH said, "Blue Hill Memorial Hospital is very proud to accept this award on behalf of our employees and patients. This recognition underscores Blue Hill Memorial Hospital's commitment to quality. Our patient surveys tell us that our work to consistently exceed our customers' expectations is noticed and appreciated. We are committed to providing highly personalized services to everyone who comes to us for healthcare."

Avatar is a leading survey organization conducting patient satisfaction surveys for approximately 200 hospitals nationwide. Patients are surveyed after discharge about quality of care, including questions about whether patient care met their expectations, the friendliness of staff, pain management and meals.

"Through the survey process, we understand patients' expectations and how they feel about the care they received," explained Paula Theriault, Chief Nursing Officer for BHMH. "For example, we monitor survey responses to pain management to see if we are keeping our patients comfortable so they do not experience any avoidable pain. We work hard to understand, monitor, and exceed expectations. We hope that all of our patients complete a survey when they receive it."

Blue Hill Memorial Hospital is dedicated to providing primary and selected specialty healthcare of outstanding quality, caring for patients with respect and compassion, and improving the health of the communities it serves.