The following blog post was written by Maggy Stewart, Graphic Designer & Marketing Coordinator at RMS.MIPS CAHPS CMS Approved Vendor

Research & Marketing Strategies, Inc. (RMS) announced it has received final approval from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to conduct the Merit-based Incentive Payment System Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Survey (MIPS CAHPS)® for the 2017 performance period survey administration, credited as one of few approved vendors to pass a rigorous certification screening process. Recognized by Modern Healthcare as one of the top patient satisfaction measurement firms in the country, RMS is a leading provider of patient experience surveying, facilitating healthcare organizations to incorporate the industry’s patient-centered care focus and quality improvement model.

The MIPS CAHPS Survey will be administered from November 2017 through February 2018. Participating groups must register with CMS by June 30, 2017, and practices can authorize RMS as a vendor by September 19, 2017. The MIPS CAHPS survey measures 12 key domains of beneficiaries’ experiences of care, including physician communication, care coordination and access to care. Additionally, a MIPS eligible clinician may also be awarded points under the improvement activities performance category for administering the survey.

CAHPS for MIPS replaces the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) CAHPS Survey and is designed to be national in scope and will require standardized administration protocols. It is anticipated that there will be one mode of administration: mixed mode, which includes mail and telephone surveys.

“RMS is proud to be recognized as a CMS-approved vendor for the MIPS CAHPS Survey,” said Mark Dengler, President of RMS. “This addition to our extensive line of CAHPS offerings demonstrates RMS’ dedication to improving the quality of care within healthcare organizations. It really does matter when you get a survey in the mail or receive a phone call. Your responses do make a difference.”

In pursuit of quality health care delivery, patient satisfaction measurement is emerging as a core requirement. It is a means of engaging patients regarding their care while allowing organizations to make changes and see how those changes affect patients’ perceptions of care. Patient satisfaction surveying also makes good business sense, as providers are recognizing that they can and should effectively manage the provider/patient relationship as part of their overall business activities. Insurance and government payors are looking for organizations that regularly measure satisfaction. Reimbursement is being tied to satisfaction levels.

RMS Healthcare, a division of Research and Marketing Strategies, Inc. (RMS) provides operational support, consulting and research services, tailoring their expertise to optimize your organization’s performance. They are a leading healthcare consulting firm with proven experience and success in practice transformation and patient experience reporting. If you are a healthcare provider seeking assistance with patient satisfaction surveying, contact Christine Benn, Business Development Coordinator, at (315) 635-9802 or ChristineB@RMSresults.com.

The Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) program is a registered trademark of the Agency for Healthcare Quality Research (AHRQ).