For hospitals seeking to increase reimbursements through improved patient satisfaction, an investment in nursing excellence could be the answer, according to a study published in Health Services Research.
Researchers compared the HCAHPS scores of 212 Magnet hospitals to those of 212 non-Magnet hospitals to demonstrate the link between the recognition and patient satisfaction. Nearly a third of a hospital's total performance score for CMS reimbursement is made up of the HCAHPS survey. Patients who received care in hospitals with a Magnet designation for nursing excellence reported significantly higher satisfaction with their care, the authors said.
"One straightforward strategy to improve patients' experience, and thus improve the performance scores, involves registered nurses," Amy Witkoski-Stimpfel, PhD, RN, assistant professor at the New York University College of Nursing, said in a statement. "Research has shown that patients' experience with hospital care is significantly related to whether or not hospitals are well-resourced with respect to nursing, as nurses are the ones providing the most direct patient care in hospitals."