New Instrument to Measure Hospital Patient Experiences in Flanders

Luk Bruyneel, Else Tambuyzer, Ellen Coeckelberghs, Dirk De Wachter, Walter Sermeus, Dirk De Ridder, Dirk Ramaekers, Ilse Weeghmans and Kris Vanhaecht
Additional contact information
Luk Bruyneel: KU Leuven Institute for Healthcare Policy, University of Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 35, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Else Tambuyzer: Flemish Patient Platform, Groenveldstraat 15, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium
Ellen Coeckelberghs: KU Leuven Institute for Healthcare Policy, University of Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 35, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Dirk De Wachter: Specialised Care Division, Flemish Agency for Care and Health, Flemish public administration, Koning Albert II Laan 35, 1030 Brussels, Belgium
Walter Sermeus: KU Leuven Institute for Healthcare Policy, University of Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 35, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Dirk De Ridder: KU Leuven Institute for Healthcare Policy, University of Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 35, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Dirk Ramaekers: KU Leuven Institute for Healthcare Policy, University of Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 35, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Ilse Weeghmans: Flemish Patient Platform, Groenveldstraat 15, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium
Kris Vanhaecht: KU Leuven Institute for Healthcare Policy, University of Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 35, 3000 Leuven, Belgium

IJERPH, 2017, vol. 14, issue 11, 1-14

Abstract: Implementing a standardized patient experience survey may initiate a process to apply pressure on hospitals to attend to improving patient experiences. In Flanders, Belgium, the Flemish Patient Survey was developed between 2011 and 2015. A preliminary version was developed from a scoping review and patient and expert focus groups, and included 27 items for eight hypothesized dimensions: ‘preparing for hospital stay’, ‘information and communication’, ‘coordination’, ‘respect’, ‘privacy’, ‘safe care’, pain management’, and ‘participation’. Exploratory factor analysis for 1076 patients in 17 hospitals found that the data did not fit the dimensions. Adaptations in item wording and response categories were based on the US Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems. The revised version showed excellent model fit in 22,143 patients in 37 hospitals. Multiple group analysis pointed to evidence of measurement invariance over time across mode of administration, type of nursing unit, and various patient characteristics. Fostering a collaborative approach thus proved successful in implementing a standardized patient experience survey. The most recent findings (2016) illustrate substandard performance and a need for patient-mix adjustment. The Flemish government developed a dedicated website to make findings publicly available and the federal government currently considers patient experiences in devising a pay-for-quality scheme.

Keywords: patient satisfaction; public reporting; pay-for-quality; hospitals; HCAHPS (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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