Associations Between Hospital-Level Patient Satisfaction Scores and Hospital-Acquired Pressure Ulcer Occurrences Among Medicare Stroke Patients.

BACKGROUND

Limited research has explored the associations between the US Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) ratings data and hospital-acquired pressure ulcer (HAPU) occurrences.

PURPOSE

We examined the associations between the hospital-level patient satisfaction HCAHPS scores with hospital care experience reported by Medicare patients 65 years or older and the occurrence of HAPUs among Medicare patients with stroke.

METHODS

A matched case-control design was used. Patients with a history of stroke were identified using the 2011 Medicare fee-for-service patient data. Medicare Beneficiary Summary and Medicare Provider Analysis and Review files processed by the Chronic Conditions Data Warehouse were analyzed. Conditional logistic regression was used.

RESULTS

HAPUs occur less frequently among Medicare patients with stroke who received inpatient care at hospitals with higher patient satisfaction HCAHPS scores for nurses' communication skills and quietness at night for the areas around patient rooms.

CONCLUSIONS

Using hospital-level patient satisfaction HCAHPS scores to monitor and project HAPU occurrences is recommended.