Measuring Patient-Perceived Hospital Service Quality: Validity and Managerial Usefulness of HCAHPS Scales

This study extends previous efforts to validate the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers & Systems Hospital Survey (HCAHPS) instrument. Data from two non-profit hospitals are used to explore psychometric properties of the HCAHPS measures. The findings raise concerns that HCAHPS measures may not meet the standards for reliability and validity. The results are mixed in terms of the impact of HCAHPS dimensions on overall quality ratings of hospitals. Implications of the results are discussed and future research avenues are offered regarding the use and further refinement of the HCAHPS measures.