Enhancements Coming to Physician Compare Web Site

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is creating a new CAHPS survey to augment its consumer-oriented Physician Compare Web site with quality and patient satisfaction scores.

Physician Compare currently gives consumers physician contact information, their specialties, clinical training, gender, foreign languages, affiliated hospitals, whether they’re accepting new Medicare patients and Medicare-approved payment amounts, and if they’re participating in the Physician Quality Reporting System and Electronic Prescribing Incentive Program.

CMS will now make available the quality measures collected under PQRS, and the new Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Survey for Physician Quality Reporting will support inclusion of patient satisfaction ratings as well.

“This survey will provide patient experience of care data that is an essential component of assessing the quality of services delivered to Medicare beneficiaries,” according to a CMS notice available here. “It also would permit beneficiaries to have this information to help them choose health care providers that provide services that meet their needs and preferences, thus encouraging providers to improve the quality of care that Medicare beneficiaries receive.”