Improving HCAHPS Scores with Sound Masking in Healthcare
In today’s healthcare environment, patient satisfaction is no longer just a benchmark for quality—it’s a direct driver of hospital payment and hospital reimbursements. The Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey plays a pivotal role in determining how medicare patients perceive their hospital experience and how hospitals are reimbursed through the hospital value based purchasing program. Among the key factors influencing HCAHPS scores is quietness, an area that consistently ranks low for acute care hospitals across the U.S.
One often-overlooked solution to improving quietness—and thereby higher HCAHPS scores—is sound masking technology. In this blog, we explore what HCAHPS scores are, why HCAHPS scores are important, and how sound masking can be a strategic asset in improving both patient satisfaction and hospital reimbursements.
What Are HCAHPS Scores and Why Do They Matter?
HCAHPS stands for Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems. It’s a standardized publicly reported survey administered to adult patients after discharge to assess their perspectives on care provided. Required by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid under the inpatient prospective payment system, this care survey helps identify areas of improvement for hospitals. Both critical access hospitals and non IPPS hospitals may also voluntarily participate to gain insight into the human experience of care.
The survey includes questions on:
- Communication with hospital staff
- Cleanliness and quietness of the environment
- Pain management
- Communication about medications
- Discharge information and care coordination
- Telephone follow up
- Overall rating and likelihood to recommend
These survey results are publicly reported to allow healthcare organizations and patients to compare performance and make informed decisions. The results also drive funding through the based purchasing VBP program.
Financial Impact of HCAHPS Scores on CMS Value-Based Purchasing
Under the CMS Value-Based Purchasing program, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services withholds 2% of Medicare payments from participating hospitals. This includes both acute care hospitals and select critical access hospitals. These funds are then redistributed based on performance across key quality metrics—including HCAHPS.
Quietness, as a domain in the HCAHPS survey, directly impacts how much money a hospital can earn back. Hospitals with low HCAHPS scores often fail to reclaim the full incentive, while those with high scores may receive bonuses.
Hospitals that voluntarily participate can still benefit from insights into patients’ perspectives, offering a competitive edge.
How HCAHPS Scores Affect Hospital Reputation
In the era of data transparency, HCAHPS scores are more than internal metrics—they are publicly reported on the Hospital Compare website. This visibility makes them an essential tool for measuring patients’ perceptions of the care provided during hospital stays.
Among the most impactful questions is whether the patient would recommend the hospital to friends and family. This, along with overall rating, can significantly influence a hospital’s public image and reputation.
Hospitals seeking to improve their human experience scores must also invest in staff training, better communication practices, and physical environment improvements—especially those under the hospital’s control, like noise.
Quietness – A Critical and Often Low-Scoring HCAHPS Factor
The survey question:
“How often was the area around your room kept quiet at night?”
often receives some of the lowest responses.
Excessive noise during recovery affects:
- Sleep and rest
- Perception of care
- Willingness to recommend
The issue is widespread across healthcare organizations, from large urban hospitals to smaller critical access hospitals. Patients recovering from medical conditions in noisy environments may also experience longer recoveries and more stress.
Using Sound Masking to Improve HCAHPS Scores
Sound masking introduces a uniform, ambient sound that makes speech and other disruptive noises less noticeable. This supports both speech privacy and a more restful environment.
Lencore’s system is particularly effective in:
- Healthcare research environments
- Shared rooms and nurse stations
- Patient areas and hospital staff work zones
As identified in recent data collection methodology from healthcare research publications, acoustic comfort is a strong driver of hospital experience and overall satisfaction.
Because quietness is within a hospital’s control, it is one of the most cost-effective domains to improve under the VBP program.
Quantifying the ROI of HCAHPS Score Improvements
The ROI from sound masking goes far beyond comfort. It includes:
- Reduced risk of HIPAA violations
- Increased CMS reimbursements
- Improved staff productivity
Based on data from Lencore’s Healthcare ROI data, the financial benefits are substantial:
These numbers highlight why healthcare organizations looking to improve patient experience should prioritize sound masking as a strategic solution.
Conclusion
Improving HCAHPS scores isn’t just about meeting federal standards—it’s about enhancing the human experience in health care. From care coordination and telephone follow up to environmental comfort, every touchpoint matters.
With Lencore’s sound masking systems, healthcare organizations can elevate their care survey performance and create an environment where patients rest better, staff perform optimally, and CMS funding is maximized.
Need to protect patient privacy and boost HCAHPS scores?
Contact Lencore for a free, customized quote and sound masking consultation.