Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS®) and QHP Enrollee Experience Survey (EES)

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) conducts an annual CAPHS and QHP EES surveys. The aim of the surveys is to monitor the members’ experience and their satisfaction with BCBSTX and its contracted providers.

Each year, the surveys are mailed in the month(s) of February/March to randomly selected members. It instructs the members to rate their experience with the care they received in the last six and twelve months, respectively.

Examples of topics and questions addressed in the survey are listed below, with an emphasis on domains where providers have the most impact.

 

Survey Category/Topic

 

Sample Questions

 

Getting Needed Care
  • How often was it easy to get the care, tests or treatment you needed?
  • How often did you get an appointment to see a specialist as soon as you needed to?

 

Getting Care Quickly
  • When you needed care right away, how often did you get care as soon as you needed it?
  • When you made an appointment for a check-up or routine care visit at a doctor’s office or clinic, how often did you get an appointment as soon as you needed it?

 

How Well Doctor Communicates
  • How often did your personal doctor explain things in a way that was easy to understand?
  • How often did your personal doctor listen carefully to you?
  • How often did your personal doctor spend enough time with you?

 

Smoking Cessation

 

  • How often did your doctor advise you to quit smoking?
  • How often did your doctor recommend medications to help you quit smoking?
  • How often did your doctor recommend a strategy or other method other than medications to help you quit smoking?

What You Can Do to Help Improve CAHPS and EES Survey Results

We strongly encourage any efforts to improve results. Here are some recommendations that may help you and your staff to improve member satisfaction:

  • Make walk-in appointments available in the morning/evening hours for urgent care.
  • Spend time with the patients and explain things in a way they can understand easily. Encourage your office staff to assist the patients in scheduling appointments with specialists.
  • Follow up with member’s specialists to ensure continuity of care.
  • Provide the patients with educational materials and resources as you empower patients’ personal engagement and decision-making about their care.
  • Consider performing a preventive health care visit during a sick visit if time and indications allow.
  • Discuss available treatment and medication options with the patients.
  • Educate patients about preventive care including wellness exams, immunizations including applicable to age RSV, Shingles, COVID and flu shots.
  • At the end of each visit, review the treatment plan, discuss with your patient reasons why and why not to take medications, and list all available treatment options.

Encourage Your Patients to Participate

During the months of February and March, if your patients receive a survey, please encourage them to complete and return it using the BCBSTX enclosed pre-paid envelope provided.