The Leapfrog Group has proposed several updates its 2023 hospital survey to ensure it aligns with current science and addresses the needs of consumers and purchasers.
A new section on managing serious errors is proposed. Another voluntary question seeks to assess basic information on environmental services and facilities engineering.
The survey will also include questions related to health equity, focusing on how hospitals organize data relating to ethnicity, race, language, gender identification and sexual orientation. These questions are required to be answered in the 2023 survey but will not be scored or reported in 2023.
The online survey tool is being changed to streamline the process, according to a Leapfrog report. Some sections of the survey will be combined. An example: In 2023, the medication safety section will include questions on computer physician order entry, EHR application information, barcode medication administration and medication reconciliation.
Additionally, as a convenience, survey takers will have access to the CPOE Evaluation Tool available immediately after inputting hospital profile information and before completing section two of the survey. The CPOE test will be available by April 1, but results will be scored only after the entire survey has been submitted.
Moving forward, the Leapfrog Group said it is considering adding questions about environmental hygiene standards to the 2024 survey. This measure would address procedures for cleaning and disinfecting, along with water quality, air-handling and ventilation.