Communicating about HCAHPS

One thing that can improve HCAHPS scores and can potentially affect 15% of value based purchasing incentive payments is improving nursing communication with patients, according to Press Ganey. Better communication can improve scores on pain management, communication about medication, and overall hospital experience. Strategies for improvement should be familiar to MUSC staff, as we currently perform hourly rounding, bedside shift reporting and post-discharge nurse phone calls. As reported in a Health Affairs article, patient satisfaction has been associated with nursing factors in the literature for years, but many hospitals have not taken note until recent payment incentives.