Quality can be defined and measured in many ways. At Penn State Hershey, quality is not just a simple measure. Quality is a comprehensive look at all aspects of a patient's experience. Our patients seek excellence in care, the best medical knowledge and experience, the best technology available and the kindness and hope offered by our staff. Quality can be measured in the outcomes achieved such as mortality rates and surgical infections; in the compliance with evidence-based processes known to enhance care; in the volume of patients successfully treated who have complex diagnoses and procedures; and in the safety record of the institution.

Quality and service can also be measured in other ways such as the amount of time spent with each patient; making sure each patient is treated with respect, kindness and dignity by every member of the Penn State Hershey team; making sure appointments are on time and that all test results and other patient information are available to every doctor whenever it is needed.

Quality at Penn State Hershey involves the totality of a patient's experience — from the first phone call to the last appointment.