Messaging Home Health Patients Improves CAHPS and Outcomes

Home Health Considerations

Patients in short-term recovery or long-term disease management can use mobile devices to communicate with their care team and keep themselves healthier. Most older adults now communicate by text message and email, which has become an effective way to stay in touch between home care visits. Patients can immediately report concerns by being directed to a secure check-in site after each visit. This information provides clinicians and caregivers with valuable insights and an opportunity for proactive intervention.

HH CAHPS

Home health CAHPS surveys summarize the responses from 25 patient experience questions into three publicly reported composites – care of the patient, communication with the clinicians, and resolution of any home care issues. Even though these categories are distinct, they are undoubtedly interrelated. It is impossible to take good care of patients when communication is poor or care needs go unaddressed. CMS correlates high scores with business excellence allowing patients and families to make informed decisions when selecting their home health provider.

Moving the Needle

To improve the composite score related to home care issues, it is essential to answer questions, and address needs related to pain control, supplies, medications, and anything else the patient identifies. When automation is used to uncover such problems and reply to patients, response time is significantly reduced, and the need for telephone callbacks is cut by 90%. Excellent healthcare outcomes require closing gaps between what patients are supposed to do and actually do.

The 3 Cs

Post-visit contact systems often include a service experience question to benchmark performance in connecting with patients. Meeting expectations regarding the “3 Cs” – compassion, communication, and competence – contributes to medical adherence and fewer hospital returns. Clinicians gain valuable insights on how to effectively educate patients on proper home care, such as using plain language, slowing the pace of delivery, and asking patients to demonstrate understanding.

VNA Health Group Case Study

In December 2021, the VNA Health Group (VNAHG) introduced an electronic check-in system for a select group of home health patients in Central New Jersey. Following each visit, patients received SMS links to a secure check-in site, enabling them to address any questions or concerns directly with the clinicians.

Eight percent of 601 survey respondents reported issues such as inadequate pain control, changing symptoms, medication, supply needs, and follow-up questions. A member of the clinical team subsequently contacted these patients.

As a result of implementing this system, VNA HG observed a noticeable improvement in the HHCAHPS composite for Communication Between Providers and Patients. Furthermore, the modified Net Promoter Score (mNPS) consistently increased across all clinician types from December 2021 to April 2022. The mNPS is calculated by subtracting the percentage of negative responses (average, bad, and very bad) from positive responses (very good) on a 5-point Likert scale, representing the patient's overall experience.