Common Challenges Hospitals Face With HCAHPS Scores and How To Overcome Them

Improving patient care goes beyond medical outcomes. How patients perceive their experience in a hospital impacts everything from reputation to reimbursements. That’s why Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores matter. These scores, which evaluate patient perspectives on care, are tied directly to Medicare reimbursements and are publicly reported, putting pressure on hospitals to maintain high performance.

Achieving and maintaining excellent HCAHPS scores is no easy task. Hospitals face various challenges that contribute to lower scores, many of which are complex and multifaceted. To improve HCAHPS scores, hospitals must address the technical and operational aspects that affect patient experience, care quality, and communication.

Communication breakdowns affect HCAHPS scores

Patient experience is shaped largely by communication, both with their healthcare providers and staff. The HCAHPS survey measures several aspects of communication, from how well doctors and nurses explain things in a way patients can understand to how frequently patients receive updates about their treatment.

One key challenge hospitals face is the inability to provide consistent, effective communication across all care touchpoints. Physicians and nurses are often under immense pressure, which can result in important details falling through the cracks, negatively impacting patient perception.

A technology-driven solution like real-time locating systems (RTLS) can enhance communication workflows, ensuring handoffs between shifts or departments are seamless and tracked. For example, integrating RTLS with nurse call systems allows hospital staff to respond to patient needs faster, while automated reminders can alert staff when critical communication tasks like care plan updates are due. This technology enables timely and thorough communication, mitigating one of the most common HCAHPS pain points.

Hospitals that adopt RTLS and integrate it into broader communication platforms can keep patients informed and involved throughout their care journey, reducing misunderstandings and increasing overall satisfaction.

Environmental issues create poor perceptions of care quality

Patient comfort and the hospital environment are significant components of the HCAHPS survey, influencing how patients rate their overall hospital stay. Common issues include noise disturbances, room cleanliness, and environmental monitoring failures that impact temperature-sensitive areas.

Noise complaints, in particular, are often cited as a major frustration for patients. While some hospitals have implemented sound-masking solutions, these systems can only do so much. A more sophisticated approach involves incorporating environmental sensors that monitor noise levels and automatically adjust sound-masking systems in real time. This proactive method ensures noise levels remain within acceptable limits, improving patient rest and overall perception of care quality.

Smart environmental monitoring also extends to room conditions. Hospitals can employ systems that track room cleanliness, air quality, and temperature stability to reduce negative environmental factors that affect patient perceptions and HCAHPS ratings.

Delayed responses to patient needs

One of the most frequently criticized areas in HCAHPS surveys is the speed at which staff respond to patient calls. Delays in response times often reflect deeper systemic issues, such as understaffing, inefficient workflows, or outdated nurse call systems.

Hospitals must take a more data-driven approach to identify where these delays occur and implement solutions that resolve bottlenecks. For instance, nurse call integration with workflow automation can pinpoint staff availability in real time and route requests to the nearest available nurse or technician. Combining this technology with RTLS helps avoid unnecessary delays and ensures requests are fulfilled promptly.

Real-time reporting from these systems also allows leadership to measure performance metrics like average response times and make informed decisions about staffing levels and workflow improvements. When used effectively, these systems can reduce response times and create a more responsive care environment that positively impacts HCAHPS scores.

Managing expectations through data transparency

Frequently, patient dissatisfaction arises not from poor care but from unmet expectations. Managing patient expectations throughout their stay is crucial for improving HCAHPS scores, especially regarding discharge planning and post-care instructions.

Here, patient communication platforms that enable patients to track their care progress and anticipate next steps are invaluable. For example, real-time updates about expected wait times for tests, discharge processes, and medication schedules can keep patients informed and engaged, reducing anxiety and frustration.

These platforms can extend beyond the hospital stay, offering patients access to post-discharge care instructions, medication schedules, and follow-up appointment reminders. Maintaining a clear line of communication and setting accurate expectations allows hospitals to improve patient satisfaction scores and foster a smoother overall experience.

Impact of staff engagement on HCAHPS scores

Staff engagement and morale play an indirect but powerful role in HCAHPS scores. Hospitals with disengaged staff often see lower patient satisfaction ratings, as overwhelmed or stressed staff struggle to provide consistent, high-quality care.

One way to address this challenge is with staff duress systems. While these systems are essential for staff safety, they also help improve morale. Staff duress solutions can alert security personnel when a staff member is in danger, reducing response times during violent incidents or other emergencies.

Supporting caregivers with better workflow tools and monitoring systems can also reduce burnout, leading to better patient interactions and, subsequently, higher satisfaction ratings.

A technology-driven approach to improved HCAHPS scores

Improving HCAHPS scores requires a strategic, technology-driven approach that targets the root causes of patient dissatisfaction. Leveraging solutions like RTLS, environmental monitoring, nurse call integration, patient communication platforms, and staff duress systems can help hospitals enhance patient care, streamline workflows, and promote a more patient-centered environment. The result is not only higher HCAHPS scores but also better patient outcomes and improved operational efficiency.

To learn how TRL Systems can help your facility improve its HCAHPS scores, contact trlsystems.com/solutions-healthcare.