Quality Measures

The hospital quality measures on this website show recommended care for some of the most common and costly conditions that hospitals treat. Research has shown that these treatments provide the best results for most adults with those conditions and are an important part of the patients' overall care.

Hospitals, doctors, scientists, and other health care professionals agree that these quality measures give a good snapshot of how well hospitals provide these specific types of care. Hospitals should try to give all of their patients the recommended care when it is appropriate. The goal for each measure is 100 percent.

A hospital’s quality is more than just its scores on these measures. Hospitals provide care for other illnesses and conditions for which measures are still under development. A hospital should be able to tell you what steps it is taking to improve its care. The information you will find on this website is intended to help you start a conversation with your physician or hospital about how you can best get the care you need.

Survey of Patients' Hospital Experience (HCAHPS)

Survey of Patients' Hospital Experience (HCAHPS)

HCAHPS, developed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, is a standardized survey and data collection methodology for measuring patients' perceptions of hospital care.

There are 27 questions related to the patient's hospital experience. These questions are bundled into the following categories: communication with nurses and doctors, cleanliness and quietness of the hospital, pain management, communication about medicines, discharge information, overall rating of the hospital and likelihood to recommend hospital.

The survey randomly samples adult patients of all eligible discharges and of all payer types between 48 hours and six weeks after discharge.

The survey assesses the consistency with which the hospital met the patient's expectations. Most questions ask patients to respond on a scale of 1 to 4, representing never, sometimes, usually or always.

How often did nurses communicate well with patients?

Responses to the following questions are included in the rates for this composite measure:

During this hospital stay.
  • How often did nurses treat you with courtesy and respect? (Q1)
  • How often did nurses listen carefully to you? (Q2)
  • How often did nurses explain things in a way you could understand? (Q3)

How often did doctors communicate well with patients?

Responses to the following questions are included in the rates for this composite measure:

During this hospital stay.
  • How often did doctors treat you with courtesy and respect? (Q5)
  • How often did doctors listen carefully to you? (Q6)
  • How often did doctors explain things in a way you could understand? (Q7)

How often did staff explain about medicines before giving them to patients?

Responses to the following questions are included in the rates for this composite measure:

Before giving you any new medicine.
  • How often did hospital staff tell you what the medicine was for? (Q16)
  • How often did hospital staff describe possible side effects in a way you could understand? (Q17)

How often did patients receive help quickly from hospital staff?

Responses to the following questions are included in the rates for this composite measure:
  • During this hospital stay, after you pressed the call button, how often did you get help as soon as you wanted it? (Q4)
  • How often did you get help in getting to the bathroom or in using a bedpan as soon as you wanted? (Q11)

Were patients given information about what to do during their recovery at home?

Responses to the following questions are included in the rates for this composite measure:

During this hospital stay.
  • Did hospital staff talk with you about whether you would have the help you needed when you left the hospital? (Q19)
  • Did you get information in writing about what symptoms or health problems to look out for after you left the hospital? (Q20)

How often was patients' pain well controlled?

Responses to the following questions are included in the rates for this composite measure:

During this hospital stay.
  • How often was your pain well controlled? (Q13)
  • How often did the hospital staff do everything they could to help you with your pain? (Q14)

How often were patients' rooms and bathrooms kept clean?

Responses to the following questions are included in the rates for this composite measure:

During this hospital stay.
  • How often were your room and bathroom kept clean? (Q8)


How often was the area around patients' rooms quiet at night?

Responses to the following questions are included in the rates for this composite measure:

During this hospital stay.
  • How often was the area around your room quiet at night? (Q9)

How do patients rate the hospital?

Responses to the following questions are included in the rates for this composite measure:
  • Using any number from 0 to 10, where 0 is the worst hospital possible and 10 is the best hospital possible, what number would you use to rate this hospital during your stay? (Q21)

Would patients recommend the hospital to friends and family?

Responses to the following questions are included in the rates for this composite measure:
  • Would you recommend this hospital to your friends and family? (Q22)

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Be careful when drawing conclusions from this information.

  • HCAHPS is a first step toward providing publicly reported patient perception data. It addresses service consistency and basic elements of service experience. The scope of the survey is limited. It does not provide clinical quality information.