Did you know that the CMS conducts various patient satisfaction surveys each year?
Most of such surveys are in the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS®) family of surveys, overseen by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
CAHPS surveys ask patients to report on their experiences with a range of health care services rendered at different settings.
Specifically, the CMS uses such questionnaires to evaluate patients' experiences with health care providers, such as doctors, hospitals, and hospice teams, or with care for specific health conditions. Other surveys ask enrollees about their experiences with health plans and related programs.
Hospital CAHPS survey is the most widespread method of care evaluation. It captures the patient’s experience of communication with clinicians, nurses, hospital staff, communication about medicines, cleanliness and quietness of the facility, discharge information, transition to post-hospital care and overall rating of the hospital. The survey is administered between 2 and 42 days after discharge to a random sample of adult patients. There are four approved modes of administration: Mail, Telephone, Mixed (mail with telephone follow-up), and Interactive Voice Response.
According to the CMS, over 4,000 hospitals participate in CAHPS and over 3.0 million patients complete the survey each year.
WCH Service Bureau would like to remind you that it is extremely important to provide top-quality services to your patients. The CMS is using such surveys to analyze the effectiveness and accessibility of care. The results of such an analysis may influence new clinical and payment policies. Therefore, it is in your best interest to meet your patients' expectations.
