Track: Healthcare Systems

Abstract

Annually, all U.S. hospitals that accept reimbursements from Medicare and Medicaid are required to submit quality data to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). CMS operates the Hospital Compare program, a consumer-oriented website offering insights into "the quality of care provided by hospitals to their patients." Hospital Compare presents data on more than 4,000 Medicare-certified hospitals, encompassing acute care hospitals, critical access hospitals (CAHs), children’s hospitals, Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Medical Centers, and hospital outpatient departments. The CMS employ a five-star quality rating system to evaluate the experiences of Medicare beneficiaries with their health plans and healthcare systems, known as the Star Rating Program. A component of a hospital's overall rating is derived from its patient satisfaction survey scores. CMS endeavors to account for how well patients are treated by their healthcare providers. This study explores the correlation between the overall CMS star rating and the patient satisfaction score, as well as identifies the survey questions that offer the most meaningful insights into a hospital's overall quality. This information proves invaluable for the management of healthcare facilities and guides CMS in enhancing their annual survey questionnaire.