This post was written by our guest blogger Paul Dybas, former Business Development Associate at RMS, an approved CAHPS® survey vendor.

Whether your practice already conducts the CG-CAHPS® survey or is just getting started, now is a great time to consider contracting a third-party vendor to administer the survey for you. CAHPS® has been a popular topic on the RMS Healthcare blog, click here to read more articles about CAHPS® survey vendors. A third-party vendor offers benefits such as:

1. Knowledge: Vendors are able to adhere to the recommended CG-CAHPS® methodology because they are familiar with the process and have extensive experience in the administration of the survey. Researchers are able to think critically and turn your survey response data into knowledge and actionable results.

2. Capabilities: Third-party vendors have the necessary equipment and resources available in order to get the most valuable feedback from your patients. They are capable of sending mass mailings, completing a large volume of phone calls, following up and tracking response statistics. For data analysis, vendors have access to  software that generates formatted, graphically enhanced, detailed reports, which are complex in terms of reporting depth, but easily understood by your facility.
 
3. Time: Third-party vendors have the time to administer the survey and analyze the results. They already have the process in place so you and your staff will not need to spend hours on developing an approach, administration of the survey and analysis of the results. By leaving the entire process up to the vendor, you will free up your staff so they can spend time caring for patients.

4. Anonymity: One of the reasons practices generally experience a lower survey response rate than third-party vendors is because patients are afraid their responses will be traced back to them. By using a third-party vendor, your patients are ensured anonymity because vendors do not link specific patient information with individual responses in their reports.

5. Expertise: Practices are experts in patient care. CAHPS®vendors are experts in survey administration and data analysis. By taking advantage of a third-party vendor, you guarantee data that is collected with integrity and results that are most accurate and beneficial to the improvement of your practice.

RMS is a full-service market research firm and approved CAHPS® vendor. We have had great success conducting the CG-CAHPS®survey since 2006. For more information on CG-CAHPS® or to see how RMS can help improve your patient satisfaction, please contact Sandy Baker at SandyB@RMSresults.com or call 1-866-567-5422.