Same-day surgery centers across the country will soon be required to administer the OAS CAHPS survey, a comprehensive tool developed by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to assess patient satisfaction following outpatient surgeries.
The survey asks 34 questions covering various aspects of patient experience, including communication with medical staff, facility cleanliness, preparation for discharge and recovery, and overall satisfaction with the care received. It also includes questions about patients’ willingness to recommend the facility and basic demographic information.
Starting January 2025, failure to comply with this new requirement could result in a 2% reduction in Medicare payments for non-compliant ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs).
In a recent episode of the Advancing Surgical Care Podcast, Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA) Immediate Past President Mandy Hawkins hosted a discussion with Bob McSweeney, Press Ganey’s president of emerging markets, and Eme Augustine, director of health policy at Press Ganey, to address the challenges and opportunities associated with the survey rollout.
McSweeney said Press Ganey has been working with many ASCs who have wisely started preparing ahead of the deadline, but cautioned that those who delay could face a “setup queue” as survey providers become inundated with last-minute requests in late 2024.
“Like any new system, there’s an integration period and a learning curve,” Hawkins said, advising administrators to allow two to three months to implement and fully integrate the OAS CAHPS survey system into their operations.
Financial and reputational risks of non-compliance
While some ASCs may be considering absorbing the 2% penalty instead of adopting the survey system, Augustine warned that this strategy could have deeper long-term consequences.
In addition to the financial hit, ASCs that fail to comply will be excluded from publicly available reports based on the OAS CAHPS results.
“Not appearing in those reports, or appearing with footnotes, could really make you stand out – and not in a good way,” Augustine said. “Moreover, CMS is working on developing star ratings based on these surveys, further emphasizing the reputational risks of non-compliance.”
McSweeney said the data will be valuable to operators, despite some concerns over the length of the survey, which currently includes 34 questions.
“The survey is the survey,” he said.
Opportunities for growth and improvement
Despite concerns over the survey’s length, Augustine reiterated that the OAS CAHPS survey offers a unique opportunity for ASCs to strengthen their patient relationships and improve their services.
“The data allows centers to identify areas where you can enhance patient experience, build loyalty and drive overall reputation,” she said.
ASCs can also use the survey to benchmark their performance against both peers and hospital-based facilities, she added.
Looking ahead, Augustine encouraged ASCs to view the OAS CAHPS as more than a regulatory requirement.
“This is an investment in your center’s future competitiveness,” she said.
By engaging with the survey process, ASCs can leverage patient feedback to drive ongoing improvements and demonstrate their value to patients, payers and regulators alike, she added.
Hawkins urged ASCs to act swiftly.
“The survey can still produce some valuable data for individual ASCs to assess patient satisfaction and for the entire ASC community to demonstrate patient preference for the care that we provide,” she said.
