Which of the following is a common lever to improve HCAHPS scores?

• A. Increase hospital marketing budgets.
• B. Limit patient involvement in discharge planning.
• C. Improve communication with patients, pain management, responsiveness, discharge instructions; staff training; care transitions.
• D. Reduce nursing staff training.

Answer: (C)

Improving patient experience, which drives HCAHPS scores, comes from actions that patients directly notice and remember during their stay. The most effective lever is enhancing how care is delivered in areas that shape their perception: clear and compassionate communication with patients, effective and timely pain management, quick and responsive attention to needs, and easy-to-understand discharge instructions plus smooth transitions when leaving the hospital. When staff are well-trained to communicate, to address pain, and to coordinate care across settings, patients feel heard, comfortable, and prepared for what comes next, which shows up as higher HCAHPS ratings.

Increasing marketing budgets doesn’t change the day-to-day patient experience inside the hospital, and limiting patient involvement or reducing nursing training can actually worsen satisfaction. By focusing on the concrete, in-the-m moment aspects of care—how information is shared, how pain is controlled, how promptly needs are met, and how clear the discharge plan is—facilities align with what patients value and improve their overall impressions reflected in HCAHPS.