Examining the Relationship Between Perceived Quality of Care and Actual Quality of Care as Measured by 30-Day Readmission Rates.

OBJECTIVE: To test the relationship between patient experience, as measured by the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS), and actual quality of care, as measured by 30-day readmission rates.

DATA SOURCES: Both HCAHPS data and outcome data reported to the Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

STUDY DESIGN: This secondary, nationwide (N = 4060), hospital-level study focused only on acute care hospitals. HCAHPS question 22 "Would you recommend this hospital to your friends and family?" was used to determine level of overall satisfaction, and 30-day readmission rates, as reported to the CMS, was used as a proxy for actual quality of care.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A statistically significant relationship was found between patient experience and actual quality outcomes.

CONCLUSION: The results of this study reinforce the inclusion of patient experience in Medicare's Value Based Purchasing program as a matter of good public policy.