By Alethea Walls, DPC Board of Directors
Medicare’s In-Center Hemodialysis CAHPS (ICH CAHPS) Survey is one of the most meaningful tools patients have to share their experiences and influence improvements in dialysis care. We’re pleased to report that beginning with the next survey round, the questionnaire has been shortened to 39 questions, reducing the length of the old survey by 23 questions.
For years, DPC has pointed out to Medicare officials the burden to dialysis patients of this survey. When Medicare surveys health plan enrollees or hospital patients about their satisfaction, they are able to use small samples of large populations. But because dialysis clinics serve smaller numbers, every patient gets the survey, every six months. Survey response rates are already declining among Americans in general, but the additional burden on dialysis patients meant fewer questionnaires were returned, often leaving too few responses to rate a facility.
Earlier this year, I served as a Technical Expert Panel (TEP) member assisting the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and RTI International in evaluating further proposed revisions to ICH CAHPS. This important effort will help ensure the survey reflects the real experiences of home dialysis patients as well as in-center hemodialysis across the country.
The CAHPS survey is far more than a questionnaire—it is a tool that can strengthen care, elevate patient voices, and improve the overall dialysis experience for our community. In helping evaluate and refine this survey, I brought both the patient and technician perspectives to the table to ensure that questions truly capture what matters: communication, respect, safety, education, and support for both in-center and home dialysis patients. You can help too by returning the questionnaire so providers and fellow patients hear your feedback on the quality of your care.
