Quick Links: HCAHPS Survey Changes and Hospital Value-Based Purchasing | How CMS Calculates the Patient Experience of Care (HCAHPS) Domain Score in the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program | HCAHPS Hospital VBP Performance Standards
HCAHPS Survey Changes and Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (12/17/2024)
Changes to the HCAHPS Survey coupled with the requirements of the Hospital VBP program will result in several sequential changes to the HCAHPS dimensions.
Through the Hospital VBP FY 2026 program year, eight HCAHPS measures, or “dimensions,” are included in Hospital VBP: six HCAHPS composite measures (Communication with Nurses, Communication with Doctors, Responsiveness of Hospital Staff, Communication about Medicines, Discharge Information, and Care Transition); one dimension that combines the Cleanliness and Quietness items; and one global item (Overall Hospital Rating). Each HCAHPS measure has equal weight. The PCE domain score is based on the percentage of a hospital’s patients who chose the most positive, or top-box, survey response.
In the FY 2027 to FY 2029 program years, six HCAHPS dimensions will be included in Hospital VBP: Communication with Nurses, Communication with Doctors, Communication about Medicines, Discharge Information, a dimension that combines the Cleanliness and Quietness items, and one global item (Overall Hospital Rating). Each HCAHPS measure will have equal weight.
In the FY 2030 program year, nine HCAHPS measures will be included in Hospital VBP: Communication with Nurses, Communication with Doctors, Communication about Medicines, Discharge Information, Responsiveness of Hospital Staff, Restfulness of Hospital Environment, Care Coordination, a dimension that combines the Cleanliness and Information about Symptoms items; and one global item (Overall Hospital Rating). Each HCAHPS measure will have equal weight.
Please see the Fiscal Year 2025 IPPS Final Rule Home Page for details on how the Person and Community Engagement Domain will be calculated in the FY 2027 to 2030 program years.
How CMS Calculates the Patient Experience of Care (HCAHPS) Domain Score in the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program
The purpose of this document is to provide a sequential overview of the score creation process. By following these steps, a hospital can approximate its Patient Experience of Care Domain score. Please click here to access this guide.
HCAHPS Hospital VBP Performance Standards
The HCAHPS Hospital VBP Performance Standards are published annually by CMS in the Final IPPS Rule. HCAHPS Performance Standards for each Fiscal Year are calculated from the Baseline Period and used in the assignment of Total HCAHPS HVBP Points in the Performance Period.
Current and historical Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program performance tables, measures and reports can be accessed on the QualityNet web site via the following link.
This page was last modified on (12/17/24)