Discussion Checklist for CAHPS and HOS Surveys

The Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) survey and the Health Outcomes Survey (HOS) play a crucial role in creating positive patient experiences. These surveys allow plans and providers to gather information about the quality of care patients receive and improve health outcomes and patient retention.

Talk with your patients about their health and health care experiences at every visit. Here are some questions to ask to start the conversation.

CAHPS
Discussed (Y/N)	CAHPS Questions for Patient	CAHPS Measure	Recommendations
	Have you had your annual flu shot?	Annual flu vaccine	Educate patient on vaccine benefits.
	Are you having issues receiving services for any tests or treatments?	Care coordination	Review medical history, including visits with specialists and records from specialists. Ask patient about any specialists they are seeing. Summarize and review any test orders. Call patient with test results promptly. Give patient copies of records or post to portal.
	Did you experience delays while waiting for today’s appointment? Do you need assistance with scheduling any follow-up appointments?	Getting appointments and care quickly	Encourage patient to schedule visits in advance. Schedule follow-up visits if applicable. Ensure that there are appointments available to accommodate urgent visits. If there are delays in appointment times, ensure staff is communicating about the delays with patients.
	Are you experiencing any delays in receiving treatment or services? Do you have questions about the tests or treatments you are receiving?	Getting needed care	Inform patient how to get care after hours. Assist in scheduling urgent specialist visits. Refer patient to in-network specialists and ensure that they are accepting new patients before making the referral. Ensure patient is informed about decisions regarding referrals and tests.
	Do you have questions about your medications or issues getting your needed medications?	Getting needed prescription medications	Review medication list and monitor medication adherence. Ensure patient understands medication schedule.

HOS
Discussed (Y/N)	HOS Questions for Patient	HOS Measure	Recommendations
	Do you have difficulties with physical activity?	Monitoring physical activity	Provide educational materials, safe exercises and resources to improve the patient’s physical activity.
	Have you had any issues with bladder control or urine leakage?	Improving bladder control	Discuss ways to decrease the risk of bladder control issues, including pelvic floor exercises, avoiding bladder irritants and maintaining a healthy weight.
	Have you had a fall in the past year or trouble with balance?	Reducing fall risk	Assess patient for balance problems, recent falls, difficulty walking and other fall risks.