Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Provider and Systems (CAHPS®)

October 19, 2023

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) conducts an annual Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) survey with its Blue Cross Community Health PlansSM (BCCHPSM) and Blue Cross Community MMAI (Medicare-Medicaid Plan)SM members. The aim of the survey is to monitor the members’ experience and their satisfaction with BCBSIL and its contracted providers and medical groups. The results of the CAHPS survey are used as a quality improvement initiative to help identify opportunities for improving member satisfaction.

Each year, the survey is mailed in the month(s) of February/March to randomly selected members. It instructs the members to rate their experience with the care they received in the last six months. Examples of topics and questions addressed in the survey are listed below, with an emphasis on domains where providers have the most impact. 

Survey Category/Topic

Sample Questions

Getting Needed Care

  • How often was it easy to get the care, tests or treatment you needed?

  • How often did you get an appointment to see a specialist as soon as you needed to?

Getting Care Quickly

  • When you needed care right away, how often did you get care as soon as you needed it?

  • When you made an appointment for a check-up or routine care visit at a doctor’s office or clinic, how often did you get an appointment as soon as you needed it?

How Well Doctor Communicates

  • How often did your personal doctor explain things in a way that was easy to understand?

  • How often did your personal doctor listen carefully to you?

  • How often did your personal doctor spend enough time with you?

Smoking Cessation

  • How often did your personal doctor explain things in a way that was easy to understand?

  • How often did your personal doctor listen carefully to you?

  • How often did your personal doctor spend enough time with you?

 

What You Can Do to Help Improve CAHPS Survey Results:
BCBSIL is currently in a “look-back period” and we strongly encourage any efforts to improve results. Here are some recommendations that may help you and your staff with improving BCCHP and MMAI member satisfaction:

  • Availability of walk-in appointments in the morning/evening hours for urgent care.
  • Spending enough time with the patients and explaining things in a way they can understand easily.
  • PCP/office staff assist the patients in scheduling appointments with specialists.
  • Follow up with member’s specialists to ensure continuity of care.
  • Providing the patients with educational materials.
  • Discussing available treatment and medications options with the patients.
  • Encouraging the patients to get a flu shot this year.
  • At the end of each visit, review treatment plan, discuss with your patient reasons why and why not to take medications and list all available treatment options.
  • Consider performing a preventive health care visit during a sick visit if time and indications allows.
  • Educating patients about preventive illnesses.

For additional information on CAHPS, please review the BCBSIL CAHPS Resources and AHRQ website. 

Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) is a registered trademark of The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).