Success in Home Health Star Ratings: Improving the Patient Survey (HHCAHPS)
Presented by Tina Marrelli and Kim Corral
12-Month Subscription
Unlimited access to:
- Thousands of CE Courses
- Patient Education
- Home Exercise Program
- And more
Patient satisfaction plays a pivotal role in the success of home health organizations, especially through its influence on CMS Star Ratings findings from the HHCAHPS (Home Health Care Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) survey. This course equips clinicians with evidence-based strategies to improve the patient experience and, in turn, drive higher Patient Survey Star Ratings. Participants will explore the role of effective communication, respectful care, and intentional customer service in shaping the patients’ perception of quality. Real-world examples and practical tools are provided to enhance interactions across disciplines—including nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology—in home health. By understanding how individual actions impact survey responses, clinicians can foster trust, improve satisfaction, and achieve measurable gains in care quality ratings.
Learning Objectives
- Acknowledge opportunities to improve patient survey/experience star ratings
- Recognize how your contributions, whether positive or negative, affect the patient’s experience
- Define customer service in home healthcare
- Identify areas to enhance customer service and patient experience within your practice and organization
- List five strategies to improve patient experience and customer service
Meet your instructors
Tina Marrelli
Tina Marrelli is the president of Marrelli and Associates, Inc., a publishing and consulting firm working in home care for more than 30 years. Tina is the author of 13 books, including the Handbook of Home Health Standards: Quality, Documentation, and Reimbursement (6th edition, 2018). Other books include A Guide…
Kim Corral
Kim is a registered nurse with a master’s degree in education and more than 30 years of home health experience. She is an experienced leader in home healthcare, having held both clinical and operational positions at regional and national levels for large corporate home health organizations. She brings a passion for providing…
Chapters & learning objectives
1. Setting the Stage: Recognizing Your Role in the Patient’s HHC Experience
This chapter introduces the HHCAHPS Survey and explains how it shapes public perceptions of home health agencies through the star ratings system. Learners will explore the definition of customer service in healthcare and understand how every clinician interaction—whether in person or by phone—impacts the patient’s experience.
2. Strategies for Improving the Three Composite Patient Survey Measures
In this chapter, clinicians take a deeper dive into the composite measures: Care of Patients, Communication Between Providers and Patients, and Specific Care Issues. Each measure is broken down by the contributing HHCAHPS questions, with concrete strategies for improving patient communication, respect, education, and safety practices across disciplines and within the organization.
3. Strategies for Improving the Overall Rating of Care: The Patients’ Perception of the HH Organization
Focusing on this single global measure in the HHCAHPS Survey, this chapter emphasizes how overall impressions are shaped by trust, consistency, caregiving, and reliability. Clinicians will learn how clear communication, timely responsiveness, and follow-through can elevate a patient’s overall rating of their home healthcare experience.
More courses in this series
Success in Home Health Star Ratings: An Overview
Kim Corral and Tina Marrelli
Success in Home Health Star Ratings: Key Measures
Kim Corral and Tina Marrelli
Success in Home Health Star Ratings: Improving Quality of Patient Care
Kim Corral and Tina Marrelli
Success in Home Health Star Ratings: Improving the Patient Survey (HHCAHPS)
Kim Corral and Tina Marrelli
Success in Home Health Star Ratings: Data Strategies
Kim Corral and Tina Marrelli