In April, the government-approved survey of patients’ hospital experience—the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey—scrapped its complicated ranking method and replaced it with an easy-to-understand five-star rating system.

The Johns Hopkins Hospital earned four stars overall, based on the data posted on the HCAHPS website. “The good news is that we are just a percentage point or two away from earning five stars,” says Lisa Allen, chief patient experience officer for Johns Hopkins Medicine. She is leading implementation of a new and improved “language of caring” approach to patient-centered communication that “aims to build trust with patients, provide a healing environment, and offer a sense of hope or comfort.”

“When people are in the hospital, they are anxious and scared, and they need to feel listened to and cared for,” says Allen, who trained as a medical anthropologist. “If they do not, they become more anxious and may become more demanding. When you help them feel connected, you can resolve problems earlier or stop them before they even start.”