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How to improve your HCAHPS survey results

Go beyond measurement and get a system of action that will help boost your HCAHPS scores and improve your patients’ experiences.

Learn More About XM Solutions for Healthcare

We know that capturing feedback from patients and families is critical to a positive healthcare experience. And the HCAHPS survey is a crucial tool for hospitals to do that. But beyond HCAHPS, are you getting the right feedback from your patients?

And is that feedback robust and actionable enough to truly drive improvement?

What is HCAHPS?

HCAHPS stands for Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems. The HCAHPS survey is designed to measure patient experience within the inpatient hospital setting. The survey measures, and publicly reports, 8 domains of care. It includes questions such as:

  • During this hospital stay, how often did nurses listen carefully to you?
  • During this hospital stay, how often did doctors explain things in a way you could understand?
  • Before giving you any new medicine, how often did hospital staff describe possible side effects in a way you could understand?

Better understanding the patients perspective

Qualtrics' modern survey approach of real-time, closed-loop feedback, enables providers to gain a deeper understanding of the patient’s experience. Qualtrics allows hospitals to close experience gaps by putting relevant information in the hands of front line staff that can immediately impact the patient experience while still in care.

What are the benefits of administering HCAHPS with Qualtrics?

Qualtrics is an authorized and approved HCAHPS vendor

Healthcare providers can now administer HCAHPS surveys with Qualtrics via mail or phone modes and view results alongside real-time, electronically collected data in our platform.

“This means you’re getting real-time data that complements the regulatory requirements, allowing hospitals to comply with HCAHPS protocols while impacting and improving their results,” says Jenny Borst, Healthcare Research Services Project Manager at Qualtrics.

Why are HCAHPS surveys important?

HCAHPS results are publicly reported to show quality comparisons to other hospitals locally, regionally, and nationally at medicare.gov/hospitalcompare. HCAHPS was developed to promote transparency and improve quality of care. In addition, results also impact Medicare reimbursement through the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program.

A holistic view of the patient journey

Healthcare professionals can leverage Qualtrics’ centralized platform in which they can administer and analyze both regulatory survey results and feedback from key touch points across the entire patient journey

Rather than a siloed and fragmented understanding, you’ll get a holistic view allowing for insights that lead to action and address root causes. “You're able to capture all touch points while also meeting regulatory requirements. Being able to see both HCAHPS and real-time results in one dashboard which allows you to see and act upon trends quickly, ultimately improving results and better supporting patients,” explains Jenny.

It's not just a measurement tool. It's a system of action

Combining HCAHPS with Qualtrics means you'll be moving from a system of measurement to a system of action. You’ll be able to provide insights that will help you drive up your HCAHPS scores.

“Qualtrics not only identifies ways to improve HCAHPS scores, but shows you where to take action immediately to deliver the best possible patient experience.”

Patty Riskind, Head of Global Healthcare, Qualtrics

Quickly and easily pinpoint where improvements are needed

Currently it's difficult to understand why you're scoring low on HCAHPS and know what to do to fix it. In the Qualtrics platform you'll be able to ask pointed questions in real time to really know and understand how to improve, which will likely impact your HCAHPS score.

Use it for both regulatory and experience data

Using the approved mail or phone modes to administer HCAHPS surveys, “Customers can now leverage the Qualtrics platform for both their required regulatory surveys and real-time patient feedback and assessments,” says Patty Riskind, Head of Global Healthcare, Qualtrics. “The platform not only identifies ways to improve HCAHPS scores, but shows you where to take action immediately to deliver the best possible patient experience.”


Want to get started with HCAHPS and Qualtrics? Learn more about XM Solutions for Healthcare