Report Explains Benefits of Modernizing HCAHPS Survey

The American Hospital Association (AHA) and other hospital groups released a report this week on modernizing the survey used to measure patient experience. With response rates to the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey falling, the report concludes HCAHPS needs changes to ensure it is capturing the information needed by health systems. Hospital patient experience leaders say core topics are missing from the survey, its literacy level is too high and more needs to be done to identify social determinants of health that are outside hospitals' sphere of influence. Another key recommendation: Shorten the survey and allow patients to complete it electronically. AONL CEO Robyn Begley, DNP, RN, noted, "Being a nurse on the frontlines of providing care showed me why including the patient experience is crucial in order to have a complete quality picture." Begley also serves as senior vice president and chief nursing officer of the AHA. The full report is available online. (AHA news release, 7/25/19)