The Home Health Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HHCAHPS) patient engagement survey impacts the bottom line of home health agencies substantially, by attracting referral sources,听value-based reimbursement,听and听payment under the听Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM). It is imperative for organizations to understand the HHCAHPS survey, and work on improving each measure to maximize long-term growth and sustainability.
Overall Rating of Care Provided鈥� Question听20
Question听20 is听the first听of two听听included听in the听.
Overall Rating of Care Provided听
This question measures the patient鈥檚 overall perception of听the听care听provided听on a quantitative scale of听0听to 10.听When听,听this question reflects听the听percentage of patients who answered with a rating of 9 or 10,听as shown in the following example:听听
Patients who rate听their听agency any number from 0 to 8 lower the publicly reported percentage,听so it is imperative that agencies constantly strive to provide the best possible patient experience to听achieve optimal HHCAHPS survey performance and promote positive patient outcomes.
Earlier installments听in听our HHCAHPS听improvement听blog series听examine each听preceding听survey question individually and explore opportunities for听targeted听improvement听with embedded resources听specific听to听each question.听Additionally, the 小猪视频听Help Center听provides听a听content listing听of听these听articles,听sectioned by HHCAHPS survey composite,听so听locating听resources听to target听specific听areas听of the survey听is easy.听Optimizing performance in all HHCAHPS survey areas will听enhance听global ratings. Most critically, however, healthcare organizations must fundamentally听acknowledge听patient听experience听as the key differentiator听in how healthcare systems are perceived. Implementing efforts to optimize individual HHCAHPS survey questions is a fragmented approach without a basis grounded in patient experience and a commitment to delivering听patient-centered care.
, an international听community of practice dedicated to improving the patient experience,听identifies eight guiding principles for听achieving听excellence听in patient experience.听Below听the guiding principles听are outlined with excerpts听detailing听each principle听and听demonstrating听application听in post-acute听settings.
Guiding Principles for Patient Experience Excellence
1. Identify and support accountable leadership with committed time and focused intent to shape and guide experience strategy.
Improving听the听patient experience requires solid, ongoing听staff training听organized and led by听agency leadership. Staff training should follow a prearranged action plan, so all efforts contribute to听the organization鈥檚 common goals for improving patient experience.
2. Establish and reinforce a strong, vibrant and听positive organizational culture and听all it comprises.
The culture of an organization has a direct听impact on the experiences听of its patrons.听Agency听leadership should keep a constant pulse on the health of the organizational culture听throughout听all听operations, including听patient experience initiatives. Reinforce constructive听values by ensuring staff members understand the听meaning behind improvement efforts听and the individual role each听team听member plays in achieving听organizational听goals.
3. Develop a formal definition for what experience is to听your听organization.
The Beryl Institute听defines patient experience as,听鈥渢he sum of all interactions, shaped by an organization鈥檚 culture, that influence patient perceptions across the continuum of care.鈥�听Patient experience听definitions听should reflect听an听organization鈥檚 specific goals, concentrations听and values,听and the unique population it serves.
4. Implement a defined process听for continuous patient and family input and engagement.
Patient and family engagement are essential and should be integrated throughout an agency鈥檚 strategy for improving patient experience.听The Institute for Patient- And Family-Centered Care听(IPFCC) encourages healthcare systems to recognize听families听as听partners– not听visitors.听The听Better Together听campaign, run by IPFCC,听provides听听for healthcare professionals and听agencies听to view, customize, download,听print, and distribute to听engage families in patient care and integrate听collaboration and听teamwork throughout the听strategy to improve patient experience.
5. Engage all voices in driving comprehensive, systemic and lasting solutions.
Healthcare providers and recipients (patients/families)听should sustain collaborative partnerships听in which听all听sides are empowered to exchange ideas and information, contribute to conversations that influence healthcare decisions, and听work听collectively听toward听treatment goals.听Agency processes听should ensure听all听voices听are听heard听and reinforce the importance of collaboration.
6. Look beyond clinical experience of care to all interactions and touch points.
An听听published by Modern Medicine Network outlines ten tips to provide听鈥済reat customer service鈥澨齮o patients听and demonstrates the importance of attending to interactions outside of traditional clinical contact.听Examples听include听remembering patient听names, expressing听appreciation听for听and gratitude toward听patients,听and听exceeding patients鈥� expectations by continuously ensuring care delivery and all its moving pieces are easy and pleasant.
7. Focus on alignment across all segments of the continuum and the spaces in between.
Aligning all aspects of healthcare relies on efficient, well-organized听processes.听As much as possible, healthcare organizations and professionals should optimize the flow of processes听with听technology, innovation and collaboration.
8. Encompass both a focus on healing and a commitment to well-being.
The听Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)听recognizes June 6, 2019 as听,听which听promotes and supports听more meaningful conversations between听patients and听providers,听by听encouraging听practitioners to ask听their patients听what matters.
An听听written听by听Susan听Edgman-Levitan, PA,听co-author of the听听prompting WMTY (which discussed shared decision-making听in healthcare) outlines ways to integrate WMTY concepts into听every day, and demonstrates how discussing what matters to patients听enables more听efficient, more effective听care delivery.听鈥�[When clinicians]听learn how to talk with patients about what is most important to them up front, it鈥�saves鈥痶ime. They get more useful information that helps them make the right diagnosis and develop the most appropriate care plan. It also helps develop a partnership that leads to better outcomes.鈥�
The 鈥渨hat matters鈥� concept听represents the patient experience movement at its听core,听reconnecting听the healthcare industry to the importance of humanness in healthcare.
Check our听blogs听for the听full听series on improving your agency鈥檚 HHCAHPS scores by systematically reviewing each of the HHCAHPS questions and sharing opportunities for improvement.