“A patient who feels listened to and genuinely cared for is a more compliant patient. A caregiver who feels trust and mutual respect at work will function at his or her highest level. But you won’t find either of these measures on the HCAHPS survey.”
“Unfortunately, due to financial incentives associated with HCAHPS and a growing focus on value-based care, we tend to equate patient experience with HCAHPS. In doing so, we have departed from a richer assessment of how patients actually experience care. We’re missing part of the story.”
“Measuring true patient experience and care value is more complex. Metrics must also include assessment of teamwork, communication, and the connection between patients and caregivers. The quality of the relationships creates the environment and culture of the workplace, which permeate all aspects of the patient experience.’
“In addition to HCAHPS, providers should examine other factors shown to be important to patients:
- “The care team’s genuine concern and compassion.
- “The amount of time caregivers spend with patients.
- “The level of respect shown to patients.
- The ability of caregivers to listen to patient questions and concerns.
- “The ability of caregivers to communicate and work as a team.
“We need to focus on the quality of our interactions with patients. Do patients feel truly cared about, listened to and respected? Are we taking enough time to answer their questions? The most positive patient experiences arise from workplace cultures that understand the value of the patient relationship, and build teamwork, communication and processes that strengthen our engagement.”
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