Improving patient experience is integral to MGH's commitment to being patient-centered, which is one of the Institute of Medicine's six aims of health care quality. To measure patient experience and identify improvement opportunities, MGH uses a survey called HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems). It was developed at the federal level and is administered by hospitals nationwide. Patients are contacted soon after their hospital visit and asked to report on aspects of their hospital care, including communication with doctors and nurses, responsiveness of hospital staff, and discharge planning, among other dimensions.
Improving the responsiveness of staff and quietness of the hospital environment are some of our current areas of focus. We identified these areas for targeted improvement by listening closely to our patients, relying on survey results and patient comments. We are proud to share our survey results with the public and will work hard to justify the confidence our patients have placed in us.