High-quality care doesn't come in a box. It is an ongoing process that requires nurturing and maintenance. The HHCAHPS survey is a key indicator in determining the quality of care a Home Health Agency (HHA) provides. Improving HHCAHPS scores leads to increased customer loyalty, higher reimbursement rates from Medicare and Medicaid, improved market visibility and reputation, cost savings through better staffing decisions, and more. Understanding why improving HHCAHPS scores matters and how to do it effectively can be difficult. In 2021, the aspects of home healthcare services that received the lowest ratings from patients were "caregiver respect" (75.6%), "discharge information" (77.5%), and "timeliness of care" (79.5%).
In this blog post, we'll discuss the importance of quality care, some tips on how to check up on your HHA’s performance, and some ways to use technology platforms like Cortex to keep your HHCAHPS scores consistently high.
To get started on improving your HHCAHPS scores, begin by introducing check-ins for each Home Health Aide or RN. Check-ins are a great way to assess how well each employee performs and identify areas that need improvement. During these you can coach your employees on best practices such as communication skills, proper documentation techniques, and providing accurate instructions to patients.
Data management is also crucial when it comes to improving HHCAHPS scores. Knowing where your organization stands regarding patient satisfaction ratings is key for making corrective action plans to increase scores over time. Make sure that all data collected from surveys is accurately recorded and stored in an organized format so that it can be easily accessed at any time when needed.
Finally, invest in training and education opportunities for your staff. Keeping up-to-date with industry trends and offering courses or workshops on topics like HIPAA compliance or client relations can go a long way toward improving patient satisfaction ratings across the board. By helping employees hone their knowledge and skill set, they will be better equipped to provide top-notch care, which translates into higher patient trust and loyalty.
At the end of the day, improved survey scores benefit patients and providers alike. Not only will they show that you are committed to providing high-quality care, but they will also set your HHA apart from its competitors – giving you an edge in today's increasingly competitive healthcare marketplace! With these tips in mind about unlocking higher HHCAHPS scores for your HHA, we hope you'll find them useful when implementing changes within your organization.
