Motivators and Barriers to Using Patient Experience Reports for Performance Improvement. (December 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Geissler, Kimberley H.; Friedberg, Mark W.; SteelFisher, Gillian K.; Schneider, Eric C.
• Is Part Of: Medical care research and review. Volume 70:Number 6(2013)
• Page Start: 621
• Page End: 635
• Publication Date: 2013-12
• Subjects: patient experience -- quality of care -- performance improvement -- physician groups; Medical care -- United States -- Periodicals; Medical care -- Periodicals; Medical care -- Research -- United States -- Periodicals; Medical care -- Research -- Periodicals; Medical economics -- United States -- Periodicals; Medical economics -- Periodicals; 362.10973
• DOI: 10.1177/1077558713496319
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1077-5587

Abstract

Increasingly, patient experience surveys are available to provide performance feedback to physician groups. However, limited published literature addresses factors influencing use of these reports for performance improvement. To address this gap, we conducted semistructured interviews with leaders of Massachusetts physician groups. We asked about factors influencing groups' use of performance data and report characteristics. Motivating characteristics included having group leaders who emphasized a positive patient experience and prioritized patient retention; public reporting was not an important motivator for most groups. Full physician panels were perceived as a barrier to use of reports. Performance reports from a statewide public reporting collaborative were not sufficient for the majority of groups, with many seeking external reports. As policy makers create financial incentives to support performance improvement, assisting leaders to articulate the professional case for patient experience and enhancing the content and timing of performance reports may be important.