LAPLACE – River Parishes Hospital recently kicked-off a new Service Excellence Program to its employees with a celebration held in the cafeteria. Hospital administration rolled-out the red carpet to introduce employees to the hospital’s new service excellence theme entitled “Mission: Five-Star Excellence – Mission: Possible.”

CEO Bob Prehn welcomed everyone and explained that Universal Health Services, Inc. (the hospital’s parent corporation) has a new initiative, which involves having its hospitals recognized as “The Ritz Carlton” of the healthcare industry.

Prehn said, “They are not interested in being the biggest corporation or the most revenue producing. They want to be the best at the service they provide.”

To accomplish this goal, hospital administration restated its eight service excellence standards. In keeping with these standards, employees will be given assignments throughout the year.

All hospital employees are “1-Star” employees. By successfully completing their mission, they have the opportunity to become 2, 3, 4, and “5-Star” employees. Employees may be recognized by physicians, employees, patients and visitors. The service excellence committee, which is comprised of employees, reviews all recognition letters and, based on certain criteria, selects those employees to receive a higher status.

Kat Trepagnier, service excellence director, recently offered employees the opportunity to participate in RPH’s first mission: “Rolling Out The Red Carpet – We’re Putting On The Ritz.” To accomplish the mission, employees will focus on the first three service excellence standards: 1 – Make a positive first impression, 2 – Treat others as guests, and 3 – Make communication more effective.

At the celebration, hospital administration named two employees as “4-Star” employees: Celeste Stein of Radiology and Beverly Borne of Admitting. They each received a trophy, free meals in the cafeteria for two months and a check for $200.

Both employees were selected based on letters of recommendations sent from patients to the hospital’s CEO.