Adapting Patient Experience Data Collection Processes for Lower Literacy Patient Populations Using Tablets at the Point of Care

Abstract

Background: 

Patient experience surveys are widely used to capture the patient-reported quality of care and are increasingly being used for formal reporting purposes. There is evidence that certain patient subgroups are less likely to respond to traditional CAHPS surveys. As patient-facing technologies become more common, it is important to examine whether tablet-based patient experience surveys have the potential to promote responses from more diverse populations.

Objectives: 

To develop, gain perspectives about, and pilot an English and Spanish low-literacy adaptation of the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers & Systems Clinician & Group Survey (CG-CAHPS) administered on a tablet device at the point of care.

Research Design: 

Cognitive testing and evaluation of a quality improvement pilot comparing a tablet-based adaptation and traditional paper-based versions of the CG-CAHPS survey.

Subjects: 

English-speaking and Spanish-speaking patients receiving primary care in an urban community clinic.

Measures: 

To compare the acceptability of low-literacy tablet-based and traditional paper-based patient experience surveys, we examined the concordance of responses between survey modes and preferences for modality, as well as perspectives on usability and reporting care experiences. We examined demographic differences in responses to tablet-based versus mailed surveys from a quality improvement pilot.

Results: 

The majority of cognitive interview participants preferred a low-literacy, tablet-based survey over a paper-based survey with traditional wording. In a quality improvement pilot comparing tablet-based administration at the point of care versus mailed surveys, respondents to the tablet-based survey were more likely to be younger and Latino.

Conclusions: 

If designed with patient input, tablet-based surveys have the potential to improve the collection of patient experience data among diverse populations.