How the CAHPS Clinician and Group Patient Experience Survey Data Have Been Used in Research: A Systematic Review

Authors

Denise D. Quigley, RAND CorporationFollow
Marc N. Elliott, RAND CorporationFollow
Nabeel Qureshi, RAND CorporationFollow
Zachary Predmore, RAND CorporationFollow
Ron D. Hays, University of California, Los AngelesFollow

Publication Date

7-16-2024

Keywords

patient experience, CAHPS Clinician and Group survey, ambulatory care, quality of care

Abstract

Purpose: Patient experience is a key aspect of care quality. The Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Clinician and Group (CG-CAHPS®) survey measures experiences with ambulatory care providers to inform public reporting, pay-for-performance initiatives, interventions, patient choice of physicians/practices, and quality improvement. Since the survey’s 2007 release, no systematic review of its use in research has been published.

Methods: We reviewed English-language, peer-reviewed articles published since 2008 using CG-CAHPS survey data in the U.S. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and used the Checklist for Analytical Cross-Sectional Studies.

Results: We examined 126 articles and included 52. Twenty-seven articles focused on general primary care, and the others focused on ambulatory specialty care. Of the 52 studies, 37 were cross-sectional, and the majority conducted patient-level regression analysis, controlling for patient characteristics. The most-used CAHPS measures were overall provider rating and the provider communication composite. CG-CAHPS data were primarily utilized to evaluate interventions (24 studies) and examine cross-sectional associations (21 studies) of site-level (eg, organizational climate), provider-level (physician empathy), and patient-level (medication adherence) factors with patient experience. Four studies reported disparities in patient experience.

Conclusions: The widespread use of CG-CAHPS data implies the survey’s value in measuring and improving care quality. Unlike facility or plan surveys, the CG-CAHPS survey was designed to allow attribution to medical groups and clinicians, which, as evidence shows, is its main strength. Policymakers, researchers, clinicians, and health care leaders can leverage CG-CAHPS data in quality improvement efforts and interventions supporting patient-centered care.

Recommended Citation

Quigley DD, Elliott MN, Qureshi N, et al. How the CAHPS clinician and group patient experience survey data have been used in research: a systematic review. J Patient Cent Res Rev. 2024;11:88-96. doi: 10.17294/2330-0698.2056