Reporting CAHPS Survey Results to Consumers

The reporting of survey results to consumers is central to the concept of CAHPS, which was intended from its inception to be a reliable and useful tool for healthcare consumers. CAHPS reports are specifically intended to inform consumers about available health plan or provider choices and support them in making good decisions.

Research Projects

Members of the CAHPS Consortium conduct research on reporting information to consumers to contribute to the science of public reporting and support the effective reporting of CAHPS survey measures and patient narratives to consumers, clinicians, and other audiences.

CAHPS Measures of Patient Experiences

Each CAHPS survey produces measures of patient experience that can be reported to consumers and healthcare providers.

Guidelines and Strategies

Survey users can consult guidelines for reporting CAHPS survey results based on consumer testing conducted by the CAHPS Consortium, the experiences of CAHPS researchers and sponsors, and published literature on related topics.

For more comprehensive guidance on developing, designing, promoting, and evaluating healthcare quality reports for consumers, visit AHRQ’s TalkingQuality.

Examples of Comparative Reports

Illustrative examples of web-based comparative reports for consumers on the quality and costs of healthcare from health plans are available in AHRQ's TalkingQuality: Profiles of Comparative Reports on Health Care Quality and Costs. Organizations that are developing comparative reports can use these examples to better understand the variety of content and data presentation strategies.

Expert Advice on Public Reporting

In a series of recorded interviews, experienced report developers and researchers with expertise in reporting shared insights into making public reports accessible, understandable, and usable.

• Tips on Making Quality Reports User-Centered.
• The Effects of Out-of-Pocket Costs on Enrollees’ Experiences With Health Plans: Implications for Consumer Reporting.
• Use of “Roll-Ups” To Report CAHPS Survey Results and Other Quality Measures.
• How Social Media Can Draw Visitors to a Quality Report.
• Branding Your Quality Report.
• Rating the Raters: How the Informed Patient Institute Assesses Health Care Quality Reports.
• Who Are You Talking To? New Insights Into the Audience for Consumer Reports on Health Care Quality (Webcast).