The Home Health Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HHCAHPS) patient听engagement survey impacts the bottom line of home health agencies substantially, by attracting referral sources,鈥痸alue-based reimbursement,鈥痑nd payment under the鈥疨atient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM).听It is imperative for organizations to understand the HHCAHPS survey, and听continuously听work听toward听improving each measure to maximize long-term growth and sustainability.
Patient听Willingness to Recommend听Home Health Agency听鈥� Question听25
Question听25听is听the听last听of two听听included听in the听.
Patient听Willingness to Recommend听Home Health Agency听
This question measures whether the patient is听certain听that he or she would recommend the agency to family or friends.听When听,听this question reflects the听percentage of patients who answered听Definitely yes, as shown in the following example:
Patients who answer听Definitely no,听Probably听no, or听Probably yes听lower the publicly reported percentage听since听CMS considers each of these responses an indication that the patient is not听certain听s/he would recommend the agency to others.
The听听for this global听rating听measure is the lowest听of all the HHCAHPS survey听measures,听so agencies should pay specific attention to听monitor听performance on this question.听Agencies must work persistently and tactically toward patient experience excellence to deliver care that patients feel is听so outstanding听they have听no听reservations about recommending the agency to others.
A听听on听word-of-mouth communication in healthcare听discusses听studies that听identify key factors contributing to patients鈥� willingness to recommend a healthcare agency. These听factors听include gaining patients鈥� trust, establishing strong patient-provider relationships, carefully listening to patients鈥� needs, and treating patients courteously and respectfully.
Another听听focusing on patient experience and informing听healthcare听practices听from the patient鈥檚 perspective indicates, 鈥淎 caring environment is the most influential when patients make judgements on their willingness听to recommend听[a healthcare institution].听The concept of caring staff incorporates a willingness to help听and answer questions, responsiveness to requests, showing courteous听[behavior], dignity and听respect, providing clear explanations about medicines and how patients should care for themselves听post discharge.鈥澨齌he study听analyzed听patients鈥櫶齨arrative feedback (survey comments)听and identified听five听key words听associated听with the highest听reported听willingness to recommend the facility听and four words associated with the lowest willingness to recommend the facility:
Earlier installments听in our HHCAHPS blog series explore methods of听improving听patient experience through the lens of individual HHCAHPS survey questions, touching听on the key factors outlined above.听Optimal performance in each of these areas will contribute to patients鈥� willingness to recommend an agency, but directly eliciting positive word-of-mouth requires organizations to sustain an overall听culture committed to exceeding patient expectations and operating under patient-centered standards.
Several factors influence patients鈥� willingness to recommend a healthcare agency, some of which are out of听an听agency鈥檚 control (e.g., patient demographic profiles have shown statistically significant impacts on patients鈥� willingness to recommend agencies, as referenced in the听above-mentioned听study).听Care should surpass听patient听expectations to听inspire听positive听word-of-mouth听and recommendations听even听from听patients who are otherwise unlikely to discuss their healthcare experiences with others.
The study acknowledges the challenges associated with establishing an approach to care delivery that鈥檚 universally appropriate and听references听the opportunity to introduce commonality by routinely identifying what matters to each individual patient and structuring听care accordingly.
Patient-Centered Care
Healthcare organizations and professionals have varying definitions of patient-centered听care (also called person-centered care).听听and听, two organizations dedicated to advancing patient-centered care and improving patient experience,听collaborated听to develop听a听听with practical resources and information for organizations听and individuals seeking听to become more patient-centered and excel in the healthcare industry鈥檚 competitive landscape.听The guide states, 鈥渋n the broadest terms, patient-centered care is听care organized by the patient.听It is a model in听which providers partner with patients and families to identify and satisfy the full range of patient听needs and preferences.鈥�
The guide features听an extensive selection of听tangible resources and practice optimization methods that听can be implemented immediately,听are budget-friendly, and have听promising potential to sustain lasting improvements.听鈥淐onsidering that these strategies are structured around aspects of the patient experience听identified听by patients as most needing improvement, the potential for these practices to yield high impact results is significant.鈥�
Importantly, the guide supports the following essential concept: 鈥淧atient-centered care is about engaging听the hearts and minds of those you work with and those you care for. It is about reconnecting听staff with their passion for serving others. It is about examining all aspects of the patient听experience and considering them from the perspective of patients versus the convenience of听providers. Ultimately, it is about a collective commitment to a set of beliefs about the way听patients will be cared for, how family will be treated, how leadership will support staff, and how听staff will nurture each other and themselves.鈥�
Patient-centered care requires a lasting commitment to delivering the best possible care听and听an organizational culture that is relentlessly focused around this vision.
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.