Name 1

Name

Composition I

Persuasive Exercise

2 May 2018

What’s Up Doc?

What Do Patients and Families Actually Think of Your Practice?

The raucous debate surrounding health care continues to dominate the media. The

arguments to repeal or replace The Affordable Care Act remains as both political parties exploit

the issue. As a patient, I am cautious when seeking medical treatment whether it’s in a hospital

or a physician practice. I read the online reviews, and more importantly, I review the patient

experience scores that are in the public domain as reported by the Centers for Medicare and

Medicaid (CMS). Some of my friends believe I do too much research before selecting a medical

facility. However, I live with the daily the effects of a hospital-acquired infection that has

changed my life forever. Unfortunately, not all physicians or physician practice groups

participate in the Clinical & Group Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems

(CG-CAHPS). This survey allows patients and their families to review information regarding

providers’ services to make an informed decision. Currently, the United States has too many

healthcare providers delivering a less than stellar service to patients who are not familiar with the

CG-CAHPS survey tool. This fact should be addressed by CMS to create greater transparency

for patients and their families, allowing them to make an informed decision on where they will

seek care. You are only given one life, and we should insist that healthcare providers share health

outcomes and satisfaction results with the public.

 Name 2

Public transparency is vital to a reformed health care system. Patient care surveys

evaluate the level in which patient-centered care is being delivered. Patient-centered care focuses

on providing care that is respectful to the individual patient thus allowing patients’ values to

guide clinical decision making. The CG-CAHPS survey captures the voice of the patient and

their families by asking targeted questions regarding their care experience. Patients can provide

valuable feedback on a specific physician and their office staff. This information allows for

others to review relevant information as it relates to receiving care in a timely manner, physician

communications skills, and in some cases shared decision-making. When patients and families

can be apart of the care experience, it leads to better health outcomes and higher adherence to

care plans.

Consequently, a double standard exists between hospitals and physician practice groups.

Hospitals are required to report their patient satisfaction data to CMS for public reporting

allowing patients and their families to compare hospital facilities on key metrics that demonstrate

their commitment to patient-centered care. While CMS has made strides in mandating some

physician practice groups to use the public reported survey; others do not have this requirement;

leaving patients and their families at a disadvantage. Patients and their families are becoming

more aware of the hazards that are associated with healthcare. Recently, researchers at John

Hopkins have indicated the number three cause of death in the United States is due to medical

errors (Collins 2016). With fatalities occurring at this rate, patients need the ability to review

satisfaction data on their provider. Considerable evidence suggests that good communication

between patients and their physicians’ leads to overall adherence to medical advice and creating

better clinical outcomes (Zell et al. 2014).

 Name 3

It’s understandable why some healthcare providers may be reluctant to share with the

public the patients’ perception of their care. Physicians argue that patients are not qualified to

judge the level of care they receive, as they are not clinical competent. While this is true, patients

can and do judge how their care was received. The ability of the physician to listen and respect

patients’ needs will lead to a positive patient perception. To repeat, transparency in healthcare is

important and gaining support from patient and family organizations such as the Institute for

Patient and Family Centered Care and Zero Safety Movement.

In conclusion, patients and their families have a right to know about the services a

physician provides to his or her patients. Consumers are increasingly becoming aware of the

challenges within the healthcare industry as it continues to be a topic of discussion among

legislators. CMS should work diligently to provide consistency between hospitals and physician

practices to supply the public with data to make informed health care decisions. By

understanding the patient and family experience allow healthcare providers to reflect and

improve upon the care they provide. My healthcare crisis continues to impact my life daily, and

I grieve that I am unable to have children. It is vital that I advocate for greater transparency in

healthcare. It's easy to read a review on a Yelp for a restaurant, but not so easy to know how

your experience will be when visiting a physician for the first time.
 Name 4

Works Cited

Collins, Sonya. “BMJ analysis calls medical errors third leading cause of death, shines

new light on ongoing problem.” Pharmacy Today, vol. 22, no. 7, 2016, pp. 36–37.,

doi:10.1016/j.ptdy.2016.06.022.

Zill JM, Christalle E, Müller E, Härter M, Dirmaier J, Scholl I (2014) Measurement of

Physician-Patient Communication—A Systematic Review. PLoS ONE9(12): e112637.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0112637