CATEGORY 3 - USING INNOVATION, DATA, AND BREAKING DOWN ORGANIZATIONAL BARRIERS
SURVEY OF HEALTHCARE EXPERIENCE
OF PATIENTS TEAM
U.S. Department Veterans Affairs
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JAMES A. FLAHERTY
Administrative Officer for Surveys
THARA F. LERNER, MS
Health Systems Specialist
MARK METERKO, PhD
Survey Methodologist
JIM SCHAEFER, MPH
Director of
Surveys, VHA Office of Analytics &
Performance Integration
EVELYN REYES-HARVEY, MS
Health Systems Specialist
HEATHER PEZZULLO, MSW, LICSW, FHX
Program Specialist
STEVE FLEURY, MBA, CSSB
Management Analyst
The Survey of Healthcare Experience of Patients (SHEP) team is being recognized for significantly enhanced patient experiences within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) through their collaborative efforts with the Veterans Experience Office (VEO). Their work focuses on leveraging innovation and data to improve service delivery and break down organizational barriers.
SHEP provides essential tools, education, and reporting mechanisms that enable VHA staff to implement patient experience improvement initiatives effectively. They administer a variety of surveys, including Hospital CAHPS, PCMH, Specialty Care, and Community Care, gathering feedback to inform decision-making and enhance care quality. This data-driven approach supports transparency through benchmarking and public reporting, empowering Veterans to make informed choices about their healthcare providers.
Through close partnership with VEO, SHEP promotes evidence-based toolkits like "Commit to Sit," aimed at enhancing clinician-patient interactions. This initiative has contributed to measurable improvements in Inpatient Communication scores nationwide, highlighting SHEP's role in driving positive outcomes within VHA hospitals.
Furthermore, SHEP's collaboration extends to sharing data with the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), ensuring VHA performance metrics are included on the CMS Care Compare website. This transparency enhances accountability and enables Veterans to assess care quality across different facilities, with a notable increase in high-quality ratings for VHA hospitals compared to non-VA counterparts.
In FY22, SHEP expanded their educational offerings, making data more accessible and actionable for VHA sites providing acute care. This initiative has led to a substantial rise in hospitals receiving high HCAHPS ratings, underscoring SHEP's impact in improving patient satisfaction and care outcomes across the VHA.
Overall, SHEP's dedication to collaboration, innovation, and data-driven decision-making has not only elevated patient experiences within VHA but also set a standard for excellence in healthcare delivery. Their efforts ensure that Veterans receive high-quality, patient-centered care, reinforcing trust and confidence in the healthcare services provided by VHA facilities nationwide.