HCAHPS, also known as the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems, is a form of a public survey completed by patients to give their feedback on their experience at a particular clinic or hospital in a particular area. This is a national or standardized survey required by the CMS – The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Now that you know what HCAHPS is, let’s find out what this survey entails and what the result of this survey means for you and the healthcare organization.

About the HCAHPS Survey

HCAHPS is the type of survey that records the patient’s overall experience at a clinic or hospital. This means that the patient has to fill in about their experiences of communication with doctors and nurses – Were they patient and respectful? Did they speak to you politely? Did they treat you fairly? Etc.

The patients also have to share their opinion about the hygiene and sanitary conditions of the clinic/hospital and other important considerations, including the efficiency of the staff, transparent pricing, openness to technology, etc. The survey is available in multiple languages (German, English, Spanish, Chinese, Portuguese, etc.) and is conducted after the patient is discharged from the hospital. It is usually regulated between two to forty-two days in all the major hospitals in the United States. Research shows that over 3 million patients participate in the survey every year.

The survey follows a strict protocol for data sampling, data collection, coding, and final submissions. The result allows careful observations and meticulous comparisons between different hospitals. The HCAHPS score also gives the hospital committee and management a chance to assess where their hospital stands among its competitors.

The HCAHPS Results

The HCAHPS result is as important as the survey itself. It gives an insight into the patients’ views about the hospital, its doctors, nurses, and overall care that is offered. The survey results are displayed on the internet for the public to see. Hence, the HCAHPS score directly impacts the reputation of a healthcare organization.