Measuring Hospital Patient Satisfaction

Measuring performance in the context of the competitive landscape is called benchmarking. Many types of benchmarks are possible including financial, operational and quality. 

J.D. Power’s unique approach to benchmarking is to measure performance in the context of consumer expectations.  Our "North Star" metric is customer satisfaction.  Each year, we interview millions of consumers and publish over 175 customer satisfaction benchmark reports across various industries. 

The Hospital Patient Satisfaction Program Benchmark 

The J.D. Power Hospital Patient Satisfaction Program (HPSP) benchmark was developed in the fourth quarter of 2023.  A national study was conducted that included interviews with thousands of patients to evaluate an overnight stay at a hospital in the previous six months.  The survey touched on all aspects of the patient journey and included diagnostic questions to uncover key moments of truth. 

The resulting benchmark identified seven satisfaction drivers and quantified the relative importance weights.  The seven drivers explain most of the variation in performance across hospitals with an R² of 0.80. 

The real power of a benchmarking program is to measure your hospital’s performance using the same approach that was used to develop the benchmark.  By asking the same questions and then evaluating relative performance using the same drivers and key performance indicators (KPIs), you will be to identify where your hospital is outperforming and where your gaps indicate opportunities for improvement. 

The J.D. Power Hospital Patient Satisfaction Measurement Program 

Hospitals that participate in the Hospital Patient Satisfaction Program will be able to work with J.D. Power to measure patient satisfaction using the same approach used to develop the HPSP benchmark. 

Key aspects of the measurement program include: 

• Random sample of post-discharge patients who are not part of the HCAHPS sample population
• Ten-minute survey using the same instrument as the benchmark 
• Patients receive an email invitiation and the survey is completed on line 
• Achieve 100 to 300 completed surveys depending on the volume of discharges 
• Fielding is typically 60 to 90 days depending on response rates and sample size 

Measurement Program Outcomes 

The follow-up to the measurement program has several outcomes including: 

• Work with an advisor to compare your results to the benchmark 
• Uncover gaps and opportunities for improving patient satisfaction 
• Quantify impact of potential improvements  
• Prioritize initiatives and inform the improvement roadmap 
• Use the results as a single source of truth to rally the organization 

If you're interested in learning more about what key questions are answered by the HPSP benchmark and how the benchmark can be leveraged by your hospital, contact us today.