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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

William G. Lehrman, PhD¹, David Drachman, PhD², Laura Giordano, MBA², and Elizabeth Goldstein, PhD¹. (1) Division of Beneficiary Analysis, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 7500 Security Blvd., Mail Stop S1-13-05, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850, 410 786-0834, wlehrman@cms.hhs.gov, (2) Surveys, Research & Analysis, Health Services Advisory Group, 1600 E. Northern Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85020

In Spring 2006 the CAHPS Hospital Survey (HCAHPS) will be trialed by the short-term, acute care hospitals who will participate in the full national implementation of the survey. This paper will be among the first public presentations of what was learned in this, the most extensive and comprehensive rehearsal of the final version of the survey. While the “dry run” will cover only a short period, it will provide a valuable glimpse of what may be in store when HCAHPS is fully implemented for the purpose of public reporting in October 2006. Through the dry run, hospitals and their survey vendors will gain first-hand experience collecting and transmitting HCAHPS data, but without public reporting of individual hospital results. Using the final survey instrument, the approved modes of implementation, and the official data collection and submission protocols, hospitals and survey vendors will field the survey, collect HCAHPS data and submit these to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This paper will summarize the experiences of hospitals that administer the survey in different modes (mail, telephone, mixed, and active IVR); implement HCAHPS within a larger instrument, or as a stand-alone instrument; and, field the survey themselves, or through a survey vendor. In addition, we will examine issues that proved to be problematic and share solutions uncovered in the dry run process. What is learned in the dry run will be of benefit to all involved in the national implementation of HCAHPS.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the participant will be able to

• Comprehend the purpose and major outcomes of the “dry run” of the HCAHPS survey.
• Apply lessons learned by hospitals who administered the survey by different modes, in different formats, and through different means.
• Understand preliminary, aggregate findings on patients' perspectives of care.

Keywords: Hospitals, Patient Perspective

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation