Do HCAHPS Doctor Communication Scores Reflect the Communication Skills of the Attending on Record? A Cautionary Tale from a Tertiary-Care Medical Service

摘要

BACKGROUND: Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores measure patient satisfaction with hospital care. It is not known if these reflect the communication skills of the attending physician on record. The Four Habits Coding Scheme (4HCS) is a validated instrument that measures bedside physician communication skills according to 4 habits, namely: investing in the beginning, eliciting the patient's perspective, demonstrating empathy, and investing in the end.