Patient Satisfaction Surveys
What is CAHPS? -- CAHPS Stands for Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems. It is a family of standardized surveys that ask consumers and patients to report on and evaluate their experiences with health care.
What is the difference between HH-CAHPS, CG-CAHPS and H-CAHPS? -- The “HH” in front of CAHPS stands for Home Health Care CAHPS, the "CG" stands for Clinic, where as the “H” stands for Hospital CAHPS. TheCAHPS is an approved CMS vendor and administrator for HCAHPS, CG-CAHPS and HH CAHPS surveys.
Why is CAHPS important? -- CAHPS Surveys are a standardized tool that allows results to be publicly reported. The reasoning behind this is threefold:
- Increase the transparency of the quality of care provided by home health agencies
- Provide incentives for agencies to improve the quality of care that they provide
- Provide an avenue for the public to create “objective and meaningful comparisons between home health agencies”
- Medicare and Medicaid Certified Home Health Agencies
- Facilities that provide care to more than 60 non-duplicated Medicare/Medicaid patients annually
- Providers that have been assigned an ID number
How are CAHPS Surveys administered? -- CAHPS surveys can be conducted by mail only, by phone only, or by a “mixed” mode, which is a combination of mail and phone. CMS requires that home health agencies must contract with a CMS-approved vendor for CAHPS survey administration. TheCAHPS conducts mail only surveys, as historically this mode is both the most economical and has the highest return rate thus is usually their preferred method.
What is TheCAHPS average response rate of Mail Only Surveys? -- We experience a 40 – 50% return rate. The average or standard return rate for mail only surveys is 30%.
How many CG CAHPS surveys need to be administered? -- Each clinic is required to send out 715 (CHANGED FROM 625) surveys. It is expected that there weill be at least 300 completed surveys each year. Facilities will see how they rate with other facilities that MRHC administers the surveys for as well as a comparison to all clinics or hospitals in Minnesota and Nationally if available.
What is the dry run? -- Clinics will have an opportunity to conduct a dry run before mandatory implementation. During the dry run, surveys will be conducted following protocol outlined by CMS, but results will not be made available to the public. This provides agencies with a good opportunity to test the CAHPS process and fix any issues early. Also, if there is any area that your score is not as high as you would prefer it gives you the opportunity to do corrective measurements in order to improve that score before it is publically reported. Once it is publically reported it will be visible for 2 years as the surveys are mandated in 2012, 2014 etc.
How will results be reported? -- Minnesota Department of Health will have a website in the fall of 2013 after they have gathered one years worth of data, results will be posted.
When do we need to start? -- Sign up for a CMS-approved vendor’s HCAHPS, CG-CAHPS or HH-CAHPS program now
CG - CAHPS
- Fall of 2011 administer optional Clinic CAHPS survey (will not be publically reported)
- Spring of 2012 administer optional Clinic CAHPS survey )will not be publically reported)
- Fall of 2012 mandated Clinic CAHPS - will be uploaded to state website and publically reported
- Upon completion of Participation Agreement and authorizing us as a vendor on website survey process will begin
- Typically most facilities choose to begin the first month of a quarter
- Upon completion of Participation Agreement and authorizing us as a vendor on website survey process will begin
- Typically most facilities choose to begin the first month of a quarter
What is the pricing for your CAHPS Program? -- At TheCAHPS we have an annual fee and a per piece mailing fee. There are no setup charges or additional fees for customized reports. For specific pricing contact us at 877-481-6251 or email surveysupport@mrhc.net
Have a question that is not answered here? Make sure to contact us at 877-481-6251 or email surveysupport@mrhc.net. As your expert Health Care Survey Partner, we will make sure to walk you through the entire process.
