Which of the following is a HCAHPS improvement lever?

• A. Improve hand hygiene.
• B. Increase token rewards.
• C. Improve communication, pain management, responsiveness, discharge instructions; staff training; care transitions.
• D. Eliminate discharge planning.

Answer: (C)

HCAHPS improvement levers are actions aimed at the patient experience domains measured by the survey, especially how well clinicians communicate, how pain is managed, how responsive staff are, how clear discharge instructions are, and how smoothly care transitions happen. The best choice targets exactly these areas and adds staff training to support better interactions and clearer guidance for patients as they leave the hospital. By focusing on communication, pain management, responsiveness, discharge instructions, and care transitions—and backing it with training—you directly influence the aspects that patients rate on HCAHPS.

The other options don’t fit as well. Improving hand hygiene is crucial for safety and infection prevention, but it isn’t a direct driver of patient experience scores on HCAHPS. Token rewards are not a recognized improvement lever for patient experience and can distort motivation. Eliminating discharge planning would remove a key component of how patients understand their post-hospital care, which would likely worsen, not improve, patient experience scores.