The Benchmark Email

...benchmarks, strategies and ideas for improving your agency
A service of Fazzi Associates, Inc.

March 24, 2004

Affects of Patient Satisfaction
Benchmark Systems on Outcomes

Question:
We know (or at least expect) that agencies who use national patient satisfaction benchmark systems probably get stronger patient satisfaction scores than those who do not benchmark. Are there any other "measurable" positive outcomes related to participating in a national patient satisfaction benchmark service?

Answer:
While the answer is yes, in the last couple of months, a number of surprises have emerged. The surprises come from two sources: analysis of agencies that use benchmark systems, and from an equally important analysis of the implications of the Medicare Prescription Drug Modernization and Improvement Act of 2003.

Using Fazzi Associates’ BestWorks™ National Best Practice Management Service, we compared agencies that use patient satisfaction benchmark services with those who don't. Agencies who participate in national benchmark systems were found to have:

• Higher (significantly higher) patient satisfaction scores - no surprise here.
• Higher OBQI scores.
• Higher (significantly higher) Home Health Compare scores.
• Higher Medicare profits (19.57% vs. 11.10%).
• Higher percent of patients discharged with goals met.

In many ways, this is not a surprise. Whether these agencies use benchmarking systems such as Pat/Stat® or Press Ganey, they generally get reports that not only let them know how they are doing and when they have problems but more importantly, what changes they can make to improve their scores. Some of these benchmark services, e.g. Fazzi Associates’ Pat/Stat® even provide a range of technical support, consultation, training and web analysis services to help agencies improve their scores.

The bigger surprise, however, comes from analysis of the Medicare Prescription Drug Modernization and Improvement Act of 2003. In a recent story in one of the home care field's leading trade publications, Eli Research, it was reported that former CMS Commissioner Tom Scully (a major architect of the new system) believes “that the legislation will ultimately bring one-half of all beneficiaries out of traditional Medicare” and into managed care in order to access the new drug benefits.

Why is this so important? In terms of patient satisfaction benchmark systems, it happens that one of the major ways managed care measures quality is through customer satisfaction, something that their accreditation agency – NCQA – looks closely at. (NCQA Accreditation is used by most of the nation's Fortune 500 employers, federal and state governments, and consumers to help select among competing health plans.) For a managed care company to score well in the NCQA review, they must score well in customer perceptions. Using benchmark systems gives home care agencies the advantage of proving their commitment to patient/customer satisfaction while using the service findings to improve their success in this area.

So, yes, patient satisfaction benchmark systems such as Pat/Stat® or Press Ganey do impact a number of areas beyond patient satisfaction. But, when you put it all together, there are a lot more reasons today to consider patient satisfaction systems – better patient perception, better quality, better outcomes, better profitability and now, thanks to the Medicare Prescription Drug Act of 2003, better opportunities to position your agency with managed care.

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For More Patient Satisfaction Information Contact

patstat@fazzi.com

Good Source For Additional Information

Measuring & Improving Patient Satisfaction,
Patrick J. Shelton, Aspen Publication 2000

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A Special Note

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