Watauga Medical Center Among Top 10% Nationally for Patient Experience for the 4th Year in a Row
For the fourth straight year, Watauga Medical Center has received the Outstanding Patient Experience Award from HealthGrades. This distinction ranks Watauga Medical Center among the top 10% of hospitals nationwide based on an analysis of patient satisfaction data for 3,797 U.S. hospitals. In addition to the Overall Patient Experience Award, HealthGrades also named Watauga Medical Center among the top 5% in the U.S. for Overall Pulmonary Services in 2012.
“This is something for the community, the patients and the staff to be very proud of,” said Richard Sparks, President & CEO of Appalachian Regional Healthcare System, “Earning positive feedback from our patients is one of the highest honors.”
HealthGrades analyzed HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) hospital survey data obtained from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and identified those hospitals performing in the top 10% in the nation for patient satisfaction, based on survey responses from patients treated at those facilities. Hospitals had to meet bed size, survey-response size, and clinical-quality thresholds in order to be eligible for the award.
When making healthcare decisions, patients consider not only the outcome of a procedure or treatment, but the kind of experience they can expect to have at a hospital. A recent McKinsey & Co. study found that 20% of a patient’s choice is based on a hospital’s clinical reputation and 41% of patients consider patient experience measures to be an important factor in choosing a hospital. This is in sharp contrast to the conventional wisdom that such considerations are much less important.
According to HealthGrades, 80% of patients treated at the nation’s best-performing hospitals would definitely recommend the hospital compared to only 55% of patients who received care from the poorest-performing hospitals.
The more information consumers have about the health care choices available to them, the more confident they can be in selecting the best medical care for themselves and their loved ones. The Outstanding Patient Experience Award is a distinction generated by patients for patients.Information on award recipients and the ratings methodology is available, free to the public, at www.healthgrades.com.
“It’s clear that patients are driving higher quality in our nation’s hospitals,” said Dr. Rick May, HealthGrades Vice President of clinical quality programs. “Hospitals like Watauga Medical Center take HCAHPS survey results very seriously and invest time and resources to ensure each patient’s experience is the best possible. This is yet another example of how transparency in health care drives quality.”
When compared to hospitals performing in the bottom 10% for patient satisfaction, HealthGrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award recipient hospitals are attributed with the following:
- 45% more patients gave the hospital an overall rating of a 9 or a 10 (10 being the highest possible)
- 34% more patients responded that they always received help from staff quickly
- 24% more patients reported that the staff always explained their medications to them prior to administering them
- 19% more patients felt their pain was always well controlled
- 45% more patients reported that they would definitely recommend the hospital to their family orfriends.

About Watauga Medical Center
Watauga Medical Center, part of Appalachian Regional Healthcare System, is fully accredited by the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and licensed as a 117-bed regional referral medical complex, offering both primary and secondary acute and specialty care. In addition to the main hospital, the campus of the medical center includes The Cardiology Center of ARHS, The Sleep Center of ARHS and the Seby B. Jones Regional Cancer Center, offering both radiation and chemotherapy on an outpatient basis. The Cancer Center is recognized as an approved Community Cancer Care Center by the American College of Surgeon’s Committee on Cancer.
Other units are: The Paul H. Broyhill Wellness Center, The Rehabilitation Center, The Wound Care Center, ARHS Home Health, which provides a full range of home care services, Appalachian Regional Pain Clinic, and a branch of the Northwest Area Health Education Center.tauga Medical Center has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for certification as a Primary Stroke Center.
The High Country Host is a regional travel promotion organization. For more information on accommodations, attractions, dining or shopping in the area please visit www.mountainsofnc.com or call 800-438-7500.
High Country Host Welcomes New Member: Boone Independent Restaurants!
The mission of Boone Independent Restaurants is to unite the independent restaurants in and around Boone, NC to preserve the individuality of the community served by each member establishment; improve quality, service, and social responsibility of each member restaurant; and ensure the longevity of our member establishments.
Our Objectives:
- Market member establishments effectively
- Generate excitement around independent restaurants
- Sustain an effective non-profit organization
- Educate member establishments on responsible business practices
- Make the public aware of the benefits of dining locally
To learn more, visit: http://booneindependentrestaurants.org/
The High Country Host is a regional travel promotion organization. For more information on accommodations, attractions, dining or shopping in the area please visit www.mountainsofnc.com or call 800-438-7500.
Join us in welcoming new High Country Host member, Frogurt!
The High Country Host is pleased to welcome new member, Frogurt!
Located on at 668 Blowing Rock Road in Boone,
Frogurt Frozen Yogurt is…
Good for your bones :
An excellent source of calcium: Based on 2 servings (8 fl oz)
A well-balance diet with adequate calcium may reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
Good for your tummy :
Contains probiotics to promote good health and wellness.
Helps maintain general digestive health
Good for you overall — Promotes good health and wellness :
Live Active cultures and probiotics to promote a healthy immune and digestive system
Low Sodium: Diets low in sodium may reduce the risk of high blood pressure.
Low Cholesterol: (NonFat / No sugar Added products)
Visit http://www.frogurtusa.com for more information!
The High Country Host is a regional travel promotion organization. For more information on accommodations, attractions, dining or shopping in the area please visit www.mountainsofnc.com or call 800-438-7500.
The Fall Boone Handmade Market is coming up on December 4th!
Start and end your holiday gift shopping in one day! The Fall Boone Handmade Market will be held at the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts on December 4, 2011 from 1-5 p.m. This event is presented by the Arts Management Organization (AMO), an active Appalachian student club and is sponsored by Appalachian State University’s Turchin Center for the Visual Arts. Over ninety emerging and established artists of the High Country will be selling their locally homemade goods at this indoor arts market.
These local artists will be selling everything handmade from delicious sweet treats to jewelry, sculpture, pottery, various arts and crafts and more. This is a great opportunity to support your community, buy locally and add unique handmade gifts to your holiday shopping list! All vendors accept cash and checks and some of the vendors are able to able to accept credit cards. This event not only supports the High Countrys local art scene, but acts as the clubs main fundraiser to support similar art events that the club hosts on campus and around town.
VENDOR LIST
(as of November 10, 2011)
· A Little Art Here, A Little Art There (Sara Zagar)
· æTanner Photography (Ashley Tanner)
· after emily (Nikki Burris)
· Angelique Designs (Angi Covington)
· Apotheosis Herbal (Sara Leverett)
· Appalachian Mountain Knits (Merima Friedman)
· Aquarian Gems (Francine Barr)
· arudegirl (Susan Westphal)
· Bee Kind Family Farm (Jaime Cool)
· Bentley Originals (Teresa Bentley)
· Blue Ridge Botanicals (Lindsay Dicker)
· Bluebird Knits (Jill Maynard)
· Brookdell (Constance Dellinger-Brooks)
· By Meleah (Meleah Printz)
· Caffaknitted Designs (Katie Boyette)
· Caravan Botanicals (Jaimee Smith)
· Cathey Purvey (Cathey Purvey)
· Catwalk Pottery (Loretta Link)
· Celtic Dolphin Studios (Darla Sargeant)
· Cloister Honey (Sarah Young)
· Creations b y Sheila (Sheila Eckard)
· Critter Crafts – Spay-Neuter Committee Watauga Humane Society (Amy Carson)
· Dandy Dots (Catharine Milner)
· DogsKin Studio (John Peters)
· Elkland Art Center (Lexie Danner)
· Fatlighter Woodworks & MillerMark Pens (Gary Michael Barker)
· Fig and Honey/Hoopla Hoops (Anna Johnson)
· Finders Keepers (Brittne L. Cope)
· Fireflies (Jordan Stokes)
· FireWorx Pottery (Mark Murrey)
· Full Harbor and Fallow Fleet (Austin Saylor)
· Glendora’s Box (Glenda Stewart)
· Ineke’s Textural Expressions (Ineke Thomas)
· Jacob Ford Ceramics (Jacob Ford)
· JL Merrill Metalworks (Julie Louise Merrill)
· KAL Asymmetry Glassworks and Knitworks (Kelly Loughlin)
· Lauragami (Laura Miller)
· Layne Quilts A Little (Mareva Layne McDaniel)
· Leather & Copper (Chelsea Brendle)
· lovely Crafts (Doreen Cox)
· Luna Fae Designs (Brenda Jackson)
· Meg Parker (Meg Parker)
· Mountain Knit Wit and Candles (Mary Ferrell)
· National Art Education Association Student Chapter (Elizabeth Lauer)
· One+Tutu (Pamela D Allen)
· Outcasts & Exiles (Thomas Andrew Edmonds)
· Owl Handmade (Lindsey Sutphin)
· Payton-Alexis (Payton Brown)
· Pika Mountain (Torrey Tye)
· Poco Piu Mosso (Lindsay Scarborough)
· RagBags (Pam Washer)
· ReflectSpirit: Healing Art for Sustainable Wellness (Maloo Murrey)
· Salt Designs (Leanne Salt)
· Salvage Garden (Rebekah Epling)
· Shed Studios (Jonathan Smith)
· Sign Language (Sherry Markovitch)
· Silver & Stones (Judy Goodwin)
· Simple Bright Moon (Abby White)
· Southern Charms Jewelry (Laura Beth Surber)
· Tea and Leaf (William Mitro)
· The Quilting Biddys (BR Hoffman & Barb Elyea)
· Thompson Pottery (Brandon Thompson)
· Traveling Troubadour (Cody Maddox)
· Tyler Deal Artwork (Tyler Deal)
· Wild Creation (Anna Casebere)
· Windwalker Mountain Handcrafts (Dana Cox)
· Yellowfin Jewelry (Marta Toran)
· Alexandra Bradley
· Amber C. Brown
· Amber M. Dillingham
· Beck Long
· Courtney Evers
· Don Haywood
· Elizabeth Skinner
· Emily Meisner
· Emily Vanderlinden
· Gail Pillars
· Janes Richard Foley
· Joseph Duffer
· Justin Leitner
· Kathryn Copley
· Kelley Wolcott & Marty McCormick
· Laura Arbogast
· Lauren Bennett
· Marybeth R. Whalen
· Meagan O’Connor
· Megan Goble
· Samantha Jeanne McCalip
· Shelly Crandall
· Tiffany Christian
AMOs Mission
The Arts Management Organization seeks to promote professionalism and networking within arts fields by increasing the awareness of the arts on Appalachian State Universitys campus and in the community. This organization is open to Appalachian State University students and community members inspired by the arts and other expressive forms. Members seek to enrich the knowledge and appreciation of the arts for all who are involved. The objectives of AMO are: to create an environment in which to learn and shareprofessional practices; to enhance the lives of artists and students by promoting all forms of art within Appalachian State University and surrounding community by providing opportunities; to provide educational opportunities for participating students; and to create lasting partnerships with other campus organizations.
About the Turchin Center
The Turchin Center is located at 423 West King St., in Boone, NC. Hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Tuesday-Thursday and Saturday, and Noon 8 p.m., Friday. The Turchin Center is closed Sunday and Monday and observes all university holidays. There is no admission charge, although donations are gratefully accepted. For additional details about the Turchin Center or the upcoming exhibition program, please call 828-262-3017 or visit www.tcva.org.
The High Country Host is a regional travel promotion organization. For more information on accommodations, attractions, dining or shopping in the area please visit www.mountainsofnc.com or call 800-438-7500.
Downtown Boone Art Crawl on November 4th!
Join us for the Downtown Boone Art Crawl on the first Friday of every month!
Shop, mingle and meet local artists from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at our shops and galleries and stay late for live music, food and drinks at one of our many fine restaurants.
For more info and to download a brochure, visit: http://boone-nc.org/artcrawl2011
The High Country Host is a regional travel promotion organization. For more information on accommodations, attractions, dining or shopping in the area please visit www.mountainsofnc.com or call 800-438-7500.
Fall Color Report From ASU!
Howie Neufeld, Ph.D.
Professor of Plant Physiology
Appalachian State University
This has been an interesting week in the mountains. Beginning on Friday, the temperatures dropped, and the winds picked up.
Jesse Pope, chief naturalist up on Grandfather Mountain, reports that on Saturday winds reached 60 mph with gusts up to 74 mph.
Luckily, for most trees, they were still holding on to their leaves quite tightly, so even though some were blown off, most are still there, and if we don’t get more wind storms like that one, they should turn color quite nicely in the next two weeks.
For more info on The High Country of North Carolina, call (800) 438-7500, or visit www.MountainsofNC.com.
The High Country Host Welcomes New Member: Blue Bear Mountain!
“The Way Camping Should Be!”
Blue Bear Mountain is a brand new facility! We offer private, remote, rustic, leave-no-trace Tent and RV camping on 150 acres of pristine, natural land.
The number of camp sites is limited to protect the land and so you can have plenty of room to play and to enjoy the natural beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Come get away from it all at Blue Bear Mountain!
General Amenities
Everyone at Blue Bear Mountain has access to:
- Private Bath Houses with Showers
- Fresh Natural Spring Water
- Trout Fishing
- Miles of Trails
Tent Sites
Some of our back-country tent sites are very remote and require a hike. Equipment delivery is available upon request!
All tent campsites are equipped with:
- Rock Fire Ring
- Picnic Tables
- Level Tent Spots
- Park Grill
- Log Benches
RV Sites
- 50A and 30A Power Hookup
- Easy Site Access
- On-Site Dump Station
Extra Items for Sale
These are some of the things that can be purchased and delivered to your camp site:
- Firewood
- Charcoal
- Lighter Fluid
- And more… just ask, if we don’t have it, we’ll get it for you!
For more information, visit: http://bluebearmountain.com
For more info on The High Country of North Carolina, call (800) 438-7500, or visit www.MountainsofNC.com.
Check Out High Mountain Expeditions!
High Mountain Expeditions offers a variety of outdoor activities including whitewater rafting, hiking, and caving. At High Mountain Expeditions there is an activity for every member of your group or family!
The High Country of Western North Carolina is one of the most biologically and geographically diverse regions in North America. Carved by some of the world’s oldest rivers, the Blue Ridge Mountains provides the perfect backdrop for some of the East Coast’s best hiking, caving, mountain biking, kayaking and whitewater rafting.
Please browse their web site to see a detailed list and descriptions of all the outdoor activities we offer. They can help you plan the perfect outdoor experience, so contact by email or call and speak to one of their reservation specialists today!
The team at High Mountain Expeditions invites you to join us in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains on one of their many outdoor adventures.
For more info on The High Country of North Carolina, call (800) 438-7500, or visit www.MountainsofNC.com.
Mystery Hill – Over 50 Years of Family Entertainment
Each year, for over 50 years, guests come from all over the world and the United States to visit Mystery Hill. They are all compelled to come for various reasons; “My mother came here as a child,” “I remember coming here with my Grandfather,” “I drove by this place and just had to come and see what the mystery really was,” “I just can’t get this place out of my mind.”
No matter what the reason, they come back time and time again, bringing relatives and friends to experience the mystery of our “crooked house.” People do remember the remarkable defiance of gravity, where you can see a ball roll uphill, and where folks are pulled from an upright position to an uncanny standing angle of nearly 45°.
This strange phenomenon has been amusing and puzzling visitors to Mystery Hill for generations. Since there is a variety of things to see and do, no one leaves disappointed. Mystery is a family oriented “edutainment” center that offers fun for children ages 2 to 102. We welcome you to join us at any time of the year.
For more, visit http://mysteryhill-nc.com
For more info on The High Country of North Carolina, call (800) 438-7500, or visit www.MountainsofNC.com.














Recent Comments