The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is making significant changes to the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey in 2025. These changes are designed to modernize the survey, increase patient response rates, and ensure that the survey continues to provide a reliable and accurate measure of patient satisfaction with hospital care.
As a CMS CAHPS vendor, J.L. Morgan and Associates is committed to helping our clients prepare for these changes. In this blog post, we will discuss the key changes to the HCAHPS survey and provide tips for hospitals on how to implement these changes successfully.
Key changes to the HCAHPS survey in 2025:
New survey administration options: CMS will allow HCAHPS surveys to be sent electronically (via email), in addition to the current paper and phone options. This will give patients more flexibility in how they choose to complete the survey.
Expanded survey eligibility: CMS will no longer prohibit patients' loved ones from completing the survey on their behalf. This will allow hospitals to collect feedback from patients who are unable to complete the survey on their own, such as those who are cognitively impaired or have language barriers.
Longer data collection period: CMS will extend the data collection period for the HCAHPS survey from 42 days to 49 days. This will give hospitals more time to collect feedback from patients and improve their response rates.
New supplemental items: CMS will allow hospitals to collect up to 12 supplemental items on the HCAHPS survey. These items can be used to collect feedback on specific areas of care that are important to the hospital or its community.
Language translation: CMS will require hospitals to collect information about the language that a patient speaks. Spanish-speaking patients must be presented with the official CMS Spanish translation of the survey.
Tips for hospitals on how to implement the changes successfully:
Develop a plan for implementing the changes: Hospitals should develop a plan for implementing the changes to the HCAHPS survey in a way that minimizes disruption to their operations. This plan should include timelines for implementing the new administration options, expanding survey eligibility, and collecting supplemental items.
Communicate the changes to staff and patients: Hospitals should communicate the changes to the HCAHPS survey to their staff and patients. This will help to ensure that everyone is aware of the changes and that patients are prepared to complete the survey.
Train staff on the new administration options: Hospitals should train their staff on how to administer the HCAHPS survey using the new electronic and in-person options.
Use the survey data to improve patient care: Hospitals should use the data from the HCAHPS survey to identify areas where they can improve patient care. This may involve implementing new programs or services, or retraining staff on best practices.
J.L. Morgan and Associates is here to help our clients prepare for the changes to the HCAHPS survey in 2025. We offer a variety of services to help hospitals implement the changes successfully, including survey development, survey administration, and data analysis. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you improve your HCAHPS scores.