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CMS to Test Outpatient, ASC Patient Experience Survey

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will begin preliminary testing of a newly developed patient experience of care survey this fall. The testing phase of the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery Survey (OAS CAHPS) will include a random, representative sample of 50 hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs) and 50 ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs).

CMS will conduct testing through a contractor, RTI International, which will first collect monthly lists of patient from participating facilities over three months and survey those patients by telephone or mail. CMS will use test findings to finalize the survey process and analysis procedures for future survey iterations.

The survey will cover topics of patient satisfaction, including communication, care provided by clinicians and staff, preparation for surgery, post-surgery care coordination, and overall outcomes. Following this initial testing, CMS will start a voluntary national reporting program in 2016 and open it to all interested Medicare-certified HOPDs and ASCs. Consumers will have access to the voluntary reporting results to inform their choices on where to seek care. Additionally, hospitals and clinics will be able to use program data for quality improvement programs. CMS released a frequently asked questions document on the OAS CAHPS last week.

Contact Beth Feldpush, DrPH, senior vice president of policy and advocacy, at bfeldpush@essentialhospitals.org or 202.585.0111 with questions.

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About the Author

Matt Buechner is the policy and advocacy associate for America's Essential Hospitals.

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