Based on patient surveys conducted between April 2014 and March 2015, Barton Memorial Hospital earned a four star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

“This is a new program that CMS has rolled out to compare hospitals with the same survey and criteria,” explained Katie Shea, Barton’s patient experience coordinator.

Five stars is the highest rating. Barton received three stars last time.

Barton is in the top 14 percent of the 298 hospitals in California that were assessed. Facilities across the country that are Medicare certified acute care took part in the survey.

Nearly three-quarters of the patients surveyed rated Barton a 9 or 10 for overall hospital experience. Barton scored well in categories that assessed patient satisfaction, including communication with nurses and physicians, staff responsiveness, and room and bathroom cleanliness.

“Barton employees and physicians value the patient input from these surveys and has made a tremendous effort to improve the patient experience and quality of care,” Shea told Lake Tahoe News.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report