What timeframe does the CAHPS PCMH Survey use?
The CAHPS PCMH Survey (field test version) captures patients experiences of care in the last 12 months rather than during a specific visit. During the survey development process, a majority of stakeholders providing input felt that it was essential to capture care in medical home practices that extends beyond a particular visit. They advised that using the 12-month version of the CAHPS Clinician & Group Survey as the core instrument would capture aspects of the medical home that a visit-specific survey could miss. For example, a specific event requiring a health care decision may not occur at every visit. But with a reference period of 12 months, it is possible to measure the extent to which shared decision making is taking place. The advantage of a 12-month reference period also applies to other domains of the CAHPS PCMH Survey, including coordination of care, comprehensiveness, whole person orientation, and self-management support.
