Recall that pay-for-performance programs seek to improve health care quality while lowering costs. In 2006, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented a national survey instrument known as the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Services (HCAHPS) to allow patient care experiences to be analyzed at a national level, to increase incentives for hospitals to improve care, and to enhance accountability by increasing transparency of patient care quality.
Research has shown that it is important to adjust the HCAHPS survey scores based on the type of procedure performed and presence of certain services, such as inpatient psychiatric care.
Why might patients who experience longer hospital stays tend to give lower scores on the HCAHPS survey? What factors play a crucial role in patient satisfaction? What further research might be necessary to improve the HCAHPS survey?
Discussion Requirements:
Be sure to post an initial, substantive response by Thursday at 11:59 p.m. MST and respond to two or more peers with substantive responses by Sunday at 11:59 p.m. MST. A substantive initial post answers the question presented completely and/or asks a thoughtful question pertaining to the topic. Substantive peer responses ask thoughtful questions pertaining to the topic and/or answers questions (in detail) posted by another student. Support your statements with logic and at least one credible reference. Post your initial response early and check back often to continue the discussion. Be sure to respond to your peers’ and instructor’s posts, as well. Peer responses
Jessica Hennessy
MondayJul 3 at 3:44pm
HCAHPS has become one of the gold standards in patient engagement and satisfaction measurement in the US hospital industry. Patient satisfaction, the way I understand it in healthcare, has to deal with whether the patient’s expectations were met verses a “luxury” experience as one would fill out on a survey about a vacation or dining experience.
The survey asks the following questions and play a crucial role in patient satisfaction:
Four questions about care and communication from nurses
Three questions about care and communication from doctors
Two questions about hospital environment
Five questions about experiences when in the hospital, like communication about medications or help using the bathroom
Three questions about care after discharge, like receiving discharge instructions and communication about care transitions
Two top-box questions about the overall experience and likelihood to recommend the hospital
Three questions about patient education and communication
Patients that experience longer hospital stays tend to give lower scores because they have more chance of experiencing staffing shortages. Another reason may be communication barriers between staff and patients. I would say more research needs to be done on hospital demographics and survey completion.
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Kenzie Weldon
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