As States strive to meet the diverse needs of their citizens, one of the highly effective tools at their disposal is surveys. Surveys like CAHPS®, NCI-AD, and NCI-IDD serve as critical instruments in capturing the experiences, satisfaction levels, and quality of life of individuals receiving care. These surveys provide valuable insights and lay the groundwork for systemic improvements that can profoundly impact society.
CAHPS Surveys
The Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS®) surveys are a collection of standardized tools designed to measure patients’ experiences with healthcare services. Created under the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) guidance, CAHPS surveys cover a wide range of healthcare settings, including hospitals, home health care, nursing homes, and more. The central goal of CAHPS® is to gather reliable and comparative data that can help providers understand patients’ perspectives on care.
CAHPS® surveys ask patients about their communication with healthcare providers, the accessibility of services, and overall satisfaction with the care they received. This data helps to highlight areas where healthcare providers excel and where improvements are needed, making it a powerful tool for driving patient-centered care.
NCI-AD Surveys
The National Core Indicators – Aging and Disabilities (NCI-AD) survey is a comprehensive tool that assesses the quality of life and outcomes for older adults and individuals with physical disabilities who receive long-term services and support (LTSS). This survey focuses on key domains such as community inclusion, healthcare access, autonomy, and personal choices. NCI-AD surveys help ensure that the voices of aging individuals and those with disabilities are heard and that their care is customized to their needs.
By capturing data on the day-to-day experiences of these individuals, the NCI-AD survey informs policymakers and service providers about the effectiveness of LTSS programs. This feedback is crucial for making informed decisions about how to allocate resources, improve services, and ultimately enhance the quality of life for this population.
NCI-IDD Surveys
Similar to NCI-AD, the National Core Indicators – Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (NCI-IDD) survey measures the quality of life for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). It assesses various aspects of their lives, including employment opportunities, community involvement, rights, and satisfaction with the services they receive. NCI-IDD surveys play an important role in confirming that people with IDD are supported in ways that empower them to lead fulfilling lives.
The data collected through NCI-IDD surveys help organizations and policymakers identify service delivery gaps and prioritize improvement areas. This certifies that individuals with IDD are not just receiving care but are also being afforded the opportunities and support needed to thrive.
Societal Impact of Survey Results
Information collected from CAHPS, NCI-AD, and NCI-IDD surveys has far-reaching implications for society. At their core, these surveys give a voice to some of the most vulnerable populations, certifying their needs, preferences, and experiences are heard and acted upon. This is important in sectors where individuals may feel marginalized or underserved.
Survey results guide States and service providers in making data-driven decisions that improve the quality of care and support services. By identifying strengths and weaknesses in service delivery, organizations can implement targeted interventions that lead to better outcomes.
Beyond the organizational level, the data from these surveys also contribute to broader quality measures, such as those established by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). CMS quality measures are critical benchmarks used to assess the performance of healthcare providers and systems. Insights from CAHPS and NCI surveys directly influence these assessments, helping verify that care is both patient-centered and meets the highest standards of quality.
CMS often uses the results of CAHPS surveys in their value-based purchasing programs, which reward healthcare providers for delivering high-quality care. Similarly, the data from NCI surveys can inform CMS quality measures related to LTSS, confirming the care provided to older adults and individuals with disabilities meets established benchmarks for quality and effectiveness.
Recently, CMS announced updates to Medicaid regulations, including CMS-2442-F “Ensuring Access to Medicaid Services Final Rule”. This rule is designed to improve access to care, quality and health outcomes, and better addressing health equity issues in the Medicaid program across fee-for-service (FFS), managed care delivery systems, and in home and community-based services (HCBS) programs.
As the CMS Final Access Rule comes into effect, States will be required to evaluate their current state and implement quality improvements to meet the Final Rule requirements.
Knowledge Services: Expertise in Survey Management
With more than 10 years of experience in facilitating surveys for State Government, including the NCI-AD, NCI-IDD, and CAHPS surveys, and more than 30,000 surveys completed, Knowledge Services has the expertise to ensure the surveys we administer yield reliable, relevant, and actionable results, coinciding with the HCBS Quality Measure Set needs.
Our customizable survey solutions meet the unique needs of each State we work with. We recognize that no two States are the same, which is why we offer customized services that align with specific objectives. Whether looking to assess patient satisfaction, measure the quality of life, or gather feedback on any other care aspects, our team is equipped to deliver precise and insightful results.
In Review
The role of surveys like CAHPS, NCI-AD, and NCI-IDD provide invaluable insights that help organizations understand the experiences of those they serve and identify opportunities for improvement. By leveraging the data from these surveys, service providers can implement changes that lead to better outcomes and higher levels of satisfaction.
We are committed to empowering organizations with the tools they need to succeed. Our expertise in survey management, combined with our dedication to delivering high-quality, customizable solutions, confirms our clients can make informed decisions that positively affect the lives of those they serve.
