Patient Satisfaction Survey : Hospital Reimbursement

Healthcare is in a constant state of change with movements that impact rates, access and quality of care. Hospitals have become more competitive due to the rising cost of care delivery and the reduction in reimbursement from payers. This causes difficulty in delivering quality care to all patients, which is being measured by mandated patient perception surveys, Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS). HCAHPS scores are part of value

With patients today using the threat of reporting low satisfaction rates in the hopes of receiving faster or higher quality care, they seem to have taken the upper hand in some of the decision making of what will take place in the healthcare world (Sullivan). But is it really the survey results that will make the drastic changes that are needed?

Measuring and reporting on patient satisfaction has become an integral part in healthcare and has become an industry of its own. The rising importance of patient satisfaction has not only been a determinant in incentives and reimbursements the hospital will receive (Mehta) and of quality of care for the patients, but it enhances the accountability to provide the quality of hospital care. Hospitals use HCAHPS (the Hospital Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) which is required by CMS to measure patient satisfaction. It is a survey targeted towards patients to receive their feedback and perspectives of hospital care. It is focused to provide valid and up to date information to the public and give hospitals reports on patient expectations to work towards improvement and a greater standard (CMS).

Hospitals implement HCAHPS with the support of the Hospital Quality Alliance (HQA), a public or private partnership that includes key hospital and medical associations, consumer groups, measurement and accrediting bodies and government agencies that have the same interest in improving the quality of hospitals. The Hospital Quality Alliance (HQA) program that is overseen by and public and private entities, that include the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as well as the Joint Commission, is dominating this effort in the hospital district, generating reports quarterly on the delivery of effective services for mutual conditions. Even though the Hospital Quality Alliance has made this data more available to the public, there has not been enough information on the quality of hospital care from a patients ' point of view. As the Institute of Medicine shows, the foundation of patient centered care is a key factor to having a premium health care system. The HQA backs HCAHPS.

patient and family satisfaction could go a long way to advance the quality of patient care throughout the hospital.

The Centre for Medical & Medicaid services (CMS) has recently become more involved in the reimbursement component of health care. The reason for this increased involvement is that there is an increase in the need to improve the quality of the delivery of healthcare (Garcia, 2004). Stakeholders in the healthcare industry are striving to ensure that there are a better definition and measure of quality in healthcare. One major component of quality health care is the satisfaction of the patient. There is a link between patient outcomes and satisfaction, and hence patient satisfaction is used as determinant in measuring quality care.

Hospitals implement HCAHPS with the support of the Hospital Quality Alliance (HQA), a public or private partnership that includes key hospital and medical associations, consumer groups, measurement and accrediting bodies and government agencies that have the same interest in improving the quality of hospitals. The Hospital Quality Alliance (HQA) program that is overseen by and public and private entities, that include the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as well as the Joint Commission, is dominating this effort in the hospital district, generating reports quarterly on the delivery of effective services for mutual conditions. Even though the Hospital Quality Alliance has made this data more available to the public, there has not been enough information on the quality of hospital care from a patients ' point of view. As the Institute of Medicine shows, the foundation of patient centered care is a key factor to having a premium health care system. The HQA backs HCAHPS.

Quality of Care: Mr. Moore collaborates with ED staff to develop strategies to improve care and decrease wait times in the ED. Through obtaining survey data of patient’s expectations and complaints, staff will be able to pinpoint areas of concern that effect patient care outcomes. As chairman and facilitator of the UPC Mr. Moore provides leadership for UPC team in developed a tool for patient satisfaction survey. After a literature review the UPC agreed there is a clear impact of patient satisfaction on quality improvement of care. Moreover, the literature suggests patients’ evaluation of care is a realistic tool to provide opportunity for improvement and meet patients’ expectations. Continuity is a critical element of care delivery and require collaboration between patient and Provider-led healthcare team to prevent gaps and provide efficient seamless services. Research shows that patients who regularly visit their primary care physician have fewer hospitalizations and emergency visits than those who do not utilize primary

Patient satisfaction surveys will also help potential patients understand the environment they are about to enter. If a staff is rude and curt than the public will have access to this. Essentially, this will encourage health care providers to give optimal quality of service to each and every patient. Of course, it’s important that a patients expectations are not too grand. Nothing in life is perfect and people should understand this. Busy hours and numerous patients can cause fatigue. After all, health care providers are still human. Perhaps if all physicians were machines then we could expect them all to be perfect. Performance of medical procedures will enlighten a patient of how well a hospital is able to provide a service. This in turn will allow consumers to make the best choice when selecting a facility for providing care. Someone needing back surgery should be able to locate and choose a facility right for them. If a facility performs poorly with back surgeries, the public has a right to know so that they can avoid this. People have the right to make the most well informed decision. Facility treatment of patients should definitely be transparent. If a facility is trying to hide something it can’t be good. People have the right to know how well a facility treats their patients. This also encourages a facility to always do their best. Ultimately, everyone wants

The Johns Hopkins Hospital, located in Baltimore, MD, is one of the greatest institutions in modern medicine. Established in 1889 from the donation of philanthropist Johns Hopkins, the hospital and university serve millions of patients annually for emergency, inpatient, and outpatient visits. Patient care is the focus of Johns Hopkins vision. The hospital uses quality care and innovation to enhance patient care. It is the hospital’s goal to have great precision, safety, comfort, coordination, and improved workflow to achieve an outstanding customer experience. An added feature to the customer experience are the design elements that can be found flowing throughout their newest facilities which helps foster healing and stress free environments. From the dramatic art collections that fill the walls and windows of patients rooms, to its 20-year reign as U.S. News and World Report’s “Best Hospital”, Johns Hopkins has made its mark on society. At some point, however, every great dynasty loses its ranks. Unfortunately, Johns Hopkins is no different. With the creation of a federally-mandated patient satisfaction survey for Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, the stakes for high ratings is of fiscal importance. In an effort to increase its patient satisfaction ratings, the hospital created performance measurements to highlight strengths and areas of improvement with patient outcomes. The implementation of this new initiative, the Patient Toolbox, considers the fundamental reasons

Although the Patient Centered Medical Homes health care model has been setup with a mission of organizing a critical care for patients and building better relationships that physicians could teach gain additional knowledge on what a patient is going through with their conditions. “David Keepnews (2013) reports Satisfaction has traditionally been measured with a variety of instruments and methods, with little agreement or consistency regarding how to interpret findings, how to utilize them, or even what is being measured. Despite this, providers of health and health-related services have devoted considerable resources to collecting and analyzing satisfaction data. Satisfaction scores have been used to identify quality problems and target interventions

Reimbursement and customer satisfaction became connected when the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented a pay-for-performance system where a financial penalty or reward is based partially on patient experience (Stanowski, Simpson, & White, 2015). The way hospitals interact with patients changed and a hospital atmosphere that is more respectful of patients and their values and preference with staff training and “patient-friendly” facilities is important. Research suggests that hospitals are becoming more efficient and providing higher levels of care due to the pay-for-performance

Satisfaction scores are based on the percentage of participants scoring a question given with the highest possible response such as “definitely yes or always”. These scores are then used to make improvements to the services that the hospital provides. The marks are compared to other hospitals in the area with the same specialty service during the period of July 2016 until December of 2015. The Sterling Heights Medical Center location scored above average in the following areas: Overall satisfaction with the physician 88.2 % with the other Michigan hospitals scoring 87.0%. How well the patient’s pain was controlled was 84.7% with other local hospitals scoring 80.9%, and the nursing care satisfaction was 89.5% with other local hospitals scoring 88.2%. Henry Ford Hospital is located on W. Grand Blvd in downtown Detroit was one of the HFHS locations that scored below average as compared to other Southeast Michigan Hospitals. The results are as follows: Overall satisfaction with physician was 84.9% with local hospitals scoring 87.0%. How well the patient’s pain was controlled scored 75.5% as compared to 80.9%, and nursing care came in at 83.3% with the local average being 88.2% (Patient Satisfaction Survey,

Patient satisfaction is an attitude. In the health care setting satisfaction and payment models correlate with product desire and sales in the world of commerce. Accordingly, the satisfaction of the patient is an indicator of quality of care. Satisfaction can affect outcomes, improved communication between the patient and the health care team has a positive effect on treatment adherence and long-term health benefits. Hence, satisfaction is an indirect indicator of the success of the physician and the health care system. Satisfaction and the indicators associated with its measurement reflect the quality of

A healthcare organization’s reputation for its commitment to quality and patient-centered customer service stands as the main criteria for individuals in choosing a healthcare service provider (Stavins,2006). “Therefore, measurement of patient satisfaction and incorporating results to create a culturewhere service is deemed important should be a strategic goal for all healthcare organizations”(Stavins,