The new survey system is called the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS).
Leveraging Healthcare Communication Systems to Enhance Patient Experience
Many hospitals are adopting modern healthcare communication systems to improve patient experience and meet HCAHPS survey requirements. This survey influences Medicare funding based on patient experience improvement measures.
The Obama administration might have delayed the Affordable Care Act Employer Mandate until 2015, but many hospitals around the country are already feeling the effects of health reforms. One of them is a pay-for-performance system that doles out Medicaid dollars, in part, based on patient surveys.
The new survey system is called the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS). For brevity, people are pronouncing the acronym “H-Caps.” Hospitals must now randomly select and survey at least 100 discharged patients each year and submit the H-Caps results to the government.
The survey asks questions that range from cleanliness of patient rooms to attentiveness of doctors and nurses. The survey asks about the environment in general and on specific factors, such as how quickly bedpans are being removed. Clearly, hospitals need to be sure they are on their toes or a few patient ratings could now add up to big money. Hospitals that receive low scores will receive less money from Medicare, and those that earn higher marks will receive a bonus.
That incentive has prompted many hospitals to start upgrading their facilities and standards of care to boost their survey scores. These additions range from adding TV channels to increasing how often doctors and nurses visit patients. One common way to attack several key metrics in the survey is to replace an outdated overhead paging (“Paging Doctor Smith to the nurses’ station.”) with a modern silent paging system.
Beyond the obvious peace-and-quiet benefit, hospitals and clinics are finding a host of other advantages from paging. Here’s a look:
Benefits of Using Pagers to Reduce Noise in Hospitals
The government survey asks specifically about a peaceful environment, so this consideration is not trivial. Introducing pagers into a chaotic environment is a great way to cut down on unnecessary noise and improve standards of care. Rather than making a loud public-address announcement to everyone, nurses and doctors can use personal pagers to contact the needed party without disrupting patients who need rest. Pagers also help reduce confusion around the nurses’ station for staff, patients and their families.
Do Hospitals Use Pagers? How Pagers Support Patient Experience Improvement
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Enhanced privacy: Pagers allow staff to contact one another without public announcements, aligning with HIPAA guidelines and ensuring patient privacy.
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Improved efficiency: Pagers streamline workflows by facilitating direct, instant communication between physicians, nurses, and other health professionals.
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Better family communication: Families can carry pagers while on hospital premises, enabling them to take breaks without worrying about missing important updates.
Better Communication Between Staff and Patients
Increased Staff Efficiency Through Modern Paging Solutions
With new Medicare standards increasing responsibilities, many hospitals are finding that pagers play a crucial role in maintaining staff efficiency. Using a secure paging system aligns with HIPAA requirements, helping teams meet their daily workflow demands while protecting patient privacy. By implementing advanced healthcare communication systems, hospitals can streamline communication, improve productivity, and meet critical patient experience standards that impact Medicare funding.
Hospitals that don’t make an effort to improve noise levels, communication and employee efficiency will find themselves earning smaller Medicare reimbursement payments and poor reputations. The H-Caps survey has several questions related to these areas, and upgrading your outdated PA system to an easy-to-use paging system is a great way to ensure your hospital receives high marks from patients.
Skip Cass is the chief executive officer at LRS and an expert in operational efficiency and creating a memorable guest experience.