title: The applicability of the Consumer Assessments of Health Plans Survey (CAHPS) to Preferred Provider Organizations in the United States: a discussion of industry concerns.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper examines the applicability of a leading patient survey, the Consumer Assessments of Health Plans Study (CAHPS), to Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs) in the United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  Elite interviews were conducted with users of the CAHPS survey in PPO settings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study participants attended either the California Healthcare Foundation Quality Performance Measurement in Preferred Provider Organizations Forum or the National Conference to Examine PPO Quality. Eleven representatives of state and federal government health care purchasers, commercial PPO plans, and survey vendors were included.
  
  
  METHODS
  The interview included 21 questions addressing experiences with and concerns about using the CAHPS survey in PPO settings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Respondents raised concerns about the influence of out-of-network care on CAHPS reports and ratings of PPO health plans. Suggestions were made for additional PPO-relevant items such as after-hours care, numbers and types of specialists in the PPO network, and disease management.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Modifications to some of the CAHPS survey items are needed to address concerns of users about their applicability in PPO settings.
authors.affiliation: RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA, USA. morales@rand.org
authors.forename: Leo S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rahn
authors.forename: Ron D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Hays
mesh_terms: D003256:Community Participation; D003625:Data Collection; D006801:Humans; D011243:Preferred Provider Organizations; D014481:United States