Patient survey star rating for hospitals
The hospital patient survey star rating uses a 5-star scale to make it easier for you to compare hospitals. More stars mean better quality care. The star ratings come from a patient experience of care survey called the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey. The survey asks a random sample of recently discharged patients about their hospital care experience, and measures:
- Communication with doctors
- Communication with nurses
- Responsiveness of hospital staff
- Cleanliness of the hospital
- Quietness of the hospital
- Communication about medicines
- Discharge information
- Care transition
- Overall rating of hospital
- Willingness to recommend hospital
Star ratings are developed for all 10 of the HCAHPS patient care experience measures The summary star rating combines all 10 HCAHPS star ratings into one overall metric.
The patient survey star ratings summarize patient experience, which is one aspect of hospital quality. There might be other information that's important to you that isn't included in the patient survey star ratings. You should use star ratings along with other quality information when making decisions about choosing a hospital. A 1-star rating doesn't mean that you'll get poor care from a hospital. It means that hospitals that got 2 or more stars performed better on this particular measure of patient experience of care.