Surgical CAHPS for Measuring Patient Experience: A Pilot for Future MOC Requirements

Program Description: The Surgical Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (SCAHPS®) is a standardized tool sponsored by the American College of Surgeons and the Surgical Quality Alliance that asks consumers and patients to report on and evaluate their experiences and satisfaction with their surgical care. The survey covers topics such as communication skills of providers (surgeon, anesthesiologist) and front office staff, and assesses all phases of the surgery (pre-, intra-, postoperative) for inpatient and outpatient settings. Through presentation of both aggregate data and outlier case analysis from the AAO-HNS pilot, this interactive miniseminar aims to give attendees a practical understanding of the utility of a survey like SCAHPS for assessing patient experience given the upcoming requirements under Part IV of MOC. Health plans, insurers, and specialty boards may use the data from the SCAHPS for quality improvement activities and other financial incentive programs. Specifically, beginning in 2011, the American Board of Otolaryngology Part IV (Evaluation of Performance in Practice) Maintenance of Certification will require assessment of the interpersonal and communication skills of the surgeon using the SCAHPS or an equivalent survey. Given this MOC requirement, the AAO-HNSF BOD mandated the undertaking of this pilot in December 2009 to better understand the challenges and utility of assessing physician communication and the patient experience. Educational Objectives: 1) Describe the tool itself and the utility of the scores that assess surgeon-physician communication. 2) Describe the feasibility and challenges of implementing a patient experience survey in busy academic and private otolaryngology–head and neck surgery practices. 3) Share lessons learned from outlier case analysis.