National Survey Results Help Consumers Make Informed Decisions and Improve Quality of Care

Are you looking for objective outside information on the health care facilities in your area? A national, standardized survey, measuring patient satisfaction with the quality of care, has been released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and is available online.

The Survey, called HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) compares hospitals by asking patients various questions about their hospital experience. The first of its kind, HCAHPS is intended to offer relevant data about patients’ perspective of care in specific hospitals, as well as encourage hospitals to continue to improve their standards. The questions asked by HCAHPS highlight communication with nurses and doctors, pain management, responsiveness of hospital staff, communication about medicines, discharge information, and cleanliness and quietness of hospital. It asks patients for an overall rating of the hospital and about their willingness to recommend it. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is also adding information about certain hospital procedures in terms of patient information, satisfaction, and pricing.

The survey and hospital information should promote awareness of quality of care throughout the nation’s hospitals and allow for more consumer choices. Patients have a voice through HCAHPS, and consumers can expect to see an increase in effective, proficient, high quality care.

To find out more, visit www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov