January 7, 2021
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 primary focus of the survey is to assess member’s satisfaction with BCBSIL and its independently contracted providers and specialists.
The survey will be mailed in March 2021 to randomly selected members and it asks members to rate their last six months of care. Examples of topics and questions addressed in the survey include:
- Getting Needed Care – Did you receive the care you felt you needed quickly and were you able to get urgent appointments with a specialist if needed?
- Shared Decision Making – Did your doctor include you in your treatment decisions and discuss the risks, adverse effects and benefits with you?
- Provider Communication – Did your doctor show respect, spend enough time and explain things in a way you could understand?
- Customer Service – Did you receive helpful information from office staff?
- Care Coordination – Was your doctor informed and up-to-date about the care you received from other doctors?
- Flu Vaccination – Did your doctor educate you on the benefits and importance of a yearly flu vaccination?
- Smoking Cessation – Did your doctor ask if you smoke or use tobacco and if so, advise you to quit and discuss medications and strategies?
The results of the CAHPS survey are used as a quality improvement initiative to help identify opportunities for improving member satisfaction. Below are some questions you may want to consider that may help you and your staff improve member satisfaction:
- Do you or your office staff assist the patients in scheduling appointments with specialists?
- Are urgent care walk-in appointments available in the morning and evening hours?
- Do you spend time explaining things to patients in a way they can easily understand?
- Do you provide patients with educational materials?
- Do you discuss treatment and medication options with patients?
- Do you educate patients about preventive illnesses?
CAHPS is a registered trademark of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
The above material is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for the independent medical judgment of a physician or other health care provider. Physicians and other health care providers are encouraged to use their own medical judgment based upon all available information and the condition of the patient in determining the appropriate course of treatment. References to third party sources or organizations are not a representation, warranty or endorsement of such organizations. Any questions regarding those organizations should be addressed to them directly. The fact that a service or treatment is described in this material is not a guarantee that the service or treatment is a covered benefit and members should refer to their certificate of coverage for more details, including benefits, limitations and exclusions. Regardless of benefits, the final decision about any service or treatment is between the member and their health care provider.