U.S. Ties Hospital Payments to Making Patients Happy

Wall Street Journal ^ | October 14, 2012 | By JANET ADAMY

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Nearly $1 billion in payments to hospitals over the next year will be based in part on patient satisfaction, determined by a 27-question government survey administered to patients. Hospitals with high scores will get a bonus payment. Those with low ones will lose money.

The program is part of a much broader pay-for-performance system built into President Barack Obama's health-care overhaul.

Many medical professionals have balked at the questionnaires, saying they are unfair. Older hospitals in inner cities, or facilities that tend to accept patients through cramped and busy emergency rooms, say their scores automatically suffer through no fault of their own.

The health law will cut $716 billion in Medicare spending growth over the next decade, the Congressional Budget Office estimates, largely by shaving payments to hospitals and insurers. The patient-satisfaction change isn't included in that total, as it will move the same pot of money between hospitals. But it uses the same carrots-and-sticks approach as the provisions designed to force spending cuts.

Survey questions include: "How often did doctors treat you with courtesy and respect?" and "How often were your room and bathroom kept clean?" It asks patients to rate their stay on a scale of zero to 10.

[JohnBrowdie]

I wonder how long it is before hospitals realize that the smart play is to just let the potentially unhappy ones die.

[svcw]

I have been getting those surveys from hospitals and doctors for years.

[Uncle Miltie]

Because nothing spells Health Care Savings like “W-I-L-D S-A-L-M-O-N”.

[Buckeye McFrog]

huh......with all the other issues, I wondered why my local hospital recently added valet parking and gourmet coffee to the ER.

[buckalfa]

Some of the questions on the survey such as “receiving and understanding” discharge instructions and did “personnel id themselves and explain “what and why” procedures, tests or drugs were being administered do make sense in terms of improving quality. The rest seem more geared to the Love Boat or Club Med. Many hospitals are spending big dollars and hiring Hospitality Managers to train staff so as to be able to max the scores.

[Wurlitzer]

First I am not Catholic and this is just one person’s experience, mine.

In Western NY (Buffalo) and I am sure, many other cities, we have a very strong Catholic Health Care system and I can say my own experience has always been 100% positive. I have never been in contact with any large organization with so many nice and helpful people.

Without exception, any procedure I had was started right on time as scheduled ( a real plus in my book ).

Now I am sure some other people have had a bad experience but I ask you, do you think the Islamic Health Care system in your city is better.? Oh, wait........ what IHCS? They don’t need one as they only deal in death. Never mind, forget the question.

[grumpygresh]

It’s clear that the government is forcing hospitals and providers to cherry pick the healthiest and most compliant patients. This is consistent with the ‘complete lives system’ advocated by Zeke Emanuel which steers care to the youngest and healthiest who really don’t require much care.
So if a patient complains or gives the hospital a bad review, that patient will be labelled as a ‘difficult’ patient and care will be witheld by applying the strictest possible contra-indictions for treatment.

[rlmorel]

Ping for later.

[weeweed]

Keep patients happy? All they have to do is keep the right drip running.......