OTO: Consumer Assessment of Surgical Care by Otolaryngologists

The Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Surgical Care Survey (S-CAHPS) is a 35-item standardized tool that asks consumers and patients to report and evaluate their experiences and satisfaction with their surgical care (completion time of 15-20 minutes). In this prospective study, 354 adult patients completed the S-CAHPS survey through and electronic data capture system 7 to 28 days after otolaryngologic surgery. Most patients rated their surgeons very high (at least 9.5 out of 10.0), but there was more variability in communication practices: the top-box scores for were 79% for surgeon communication prior to surgery, 61% for surgeon attentiveness on day of surgery, 64% on information to guide recovery, 77% for surgeon communication after surgery, and 88% for helpful and courteous office staff. The overall 40% survey response rate confirms the feasibility of the S-CAHPS, which may ultimately become a platform for quality improvement, financial incentives (from insurers and health plans), and assessment of surgeon interpersonal and communication skills on Part IV of the American Board of Otolaryngology Maintenance of Certification examination.