Almost 80 Percent Of Practices Deemed 'Better-Performers' Conduct Patient-Satisfaction Surveys

Almost 80 percent of medical practices deemed “better-performers” by the MGMA Performance and Practices of Successful Medical Groups: 2013  Report Based on 2012 Data indicated they used patient-satisfaction surveys. Compared with other practices, better-performers were more likely to assess patient satisfaction in their practice and did so more frequently.

Practices conducted satisfaction surveys to gauge, among other things, their patients' overall experience, professionalism of the staff, availability of appointments, and quality of care. More than half of better-performing medical practices indicated they used patient-satisfaction surveys to evaluate and improve practice operations and educate staff and physicians about behavior.

“Successful groups actively and regularly solicit feedback from their patients,” said Kenneth T. Hertz, FACMPE, Principal, MGMA Health Care Consulting Group. “Patient satisfaction surveys give practices an immense amount of detail on their patients' experience, and that feedback is particularly useful as medical groups seek to improve and elevate the care they provide.”

Almost 10 percent of better-performing practices cited using patient-satisfaction survey results as “part of physician compensation formula.” In June, MGMA released the Physician Compensation Survey Report and results indicated that quality and patient-satisfaction measures appeared to be a small yet emerging component of total compensation for physicians.

MGMA member Martha Kelley, administrator, Virginia Anesthesia & Perioperative Care Specialists, Newport News, Va., developed a performance-based risk program with a hospital system and tied patient-satisfaction measures to their physicians' compensation. “We started surveying patients for our own internal quality program several years ago, and now we’re required to meet established criteria with one of our hospitals,” Kelley said. “We share results from our patient-satisfaction survey with the hospital, and this metric now ultimately impacts physician compensation. We appreciate the feedback we receive and are continuing to explore ways in which to serve patients better.”

The MGMA Performance and Practices of Successful Medical Groups: 2013  Report Based on 2012 Data survey report is compiled using data from the MGMA 2013 Cost Survey pertaining to: profitability and cost management; productivity, capacity and staffing; accounts receivable (A/R) and collections; and patient satisfaction. The report features success stories from organizations and how they tackled issues to achieve their status as better-performers.

Additional resources for medical practice executives and physicians on managing successful practices that meet the needs of today’s patients: 

MGMA In Practice blog: Patient-centered practices: What makes them different?

Information regarding the unique knowledge and skill set for medical practice management through the ACMPE certification program.

Note: MGMA surveys depend on voluntary participation and may not be representative of the industry. Readers are urged to review the entire survey report when making conclusions regarding trends or other observations.

About MGMA
The Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) helps create successful medical practices that deliver the highest-quality patient care. As the leading association for medical practice administrators and executives since 1926, MGMA helps improve members’ practices through exclusive member benefits, education, resources, news, information, advocacy, and networking opportunities, and produces some of the most credible and robust medical practice economic data and data solutions in the industry. Through its industry-leading ACMPE board certification and Fellowship programs, MGMA advances the profession of medical practice management.

Through its national membership and 50 state affiliates, MGMA represents more than 33,000 medical practice administrators and executives in practices of all sizes, types, structures and specialties. MGMA is headquartered in Englewood, Colo., with a Government Affairs office in Washington, D.C.