Healthcare systems are rich with patient data, but the metrics only tell part of the story. They show what care was delivered, not how it was experienced. Beneficiary surveys allow a broader view of the full patient experience.
As Linda Newell, manager of AFMC’s Data Sciences survey team, explains, these surveys “capture how care is accessed, coordinated, and perceived, offering insight into whether services meet beneficiaries’ needs in a meaningful and patient-centered way.”
Across Medicaid programs, these surveys provide a clearer picture of what patients encounter before, during, and after care. Survey responses reveal patterns that directly impact patient outcomes, engagement, and satisfaction—factors that are not always tracked.
For providers, beneficiary surveys provide a better understanding of what’s happening beyond the exam room and where small changes can make a meaningful difference in patient care.
Why Beneficiary Surveys Matter—For Providers and the State
Administrative and clinical data can tell us what services were delivered. But they do not tell us how patients experienced those services.
That’s where standardized tools like the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) surveys can be very beneficial. CAHPS surveys are aligned with Health Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) measures to offer a structured, comparable way to understand:
- How easily patients access care
- How well providers communicate
- How effectively services are coordinated
- How patients perceive their overall care experience
These benchmarks “allow states to compare their performance regionally and nationally, strengthening their ability to make data-driven policy and program decisions,” Linda says.
Because CAHPS surveys are conducted nationwide, states can benchmark performance and identify opportunities for improvement at both the system and provider level. Providers can also utilize this data to see what patients experience outside the exam room.
What Arkansas Surveys Consistently Reveal About Patient Care
Across Medicaid programs, including adults, children, behavioral health services, and transportation, several themes continue to emerge. While overall scores vary year to year, some patterns in the data remain consistent.
Access to Care is Still a Challenge
Patients repeatedly highlight how important it is for them to get care when they need it. However, survey results reveal common concerns, such as:
- Difficulty scheduling appointments
- Long wait times
- Transportation barriers
Measures like “getting needed care” and “getting care quickly” remain central to how patients evaluate their experience. Even when the quality of care is high, delays and access issues still shape how patients view their overall experience.
Provider Communication is a Strength
Here’s the good news: in some instances, patients consistently report positive experiences with providers.
Respondents say that providers:
- Listen carefully
- Explain things clearly
- Treat patients with respect
This is one of the strongest findings across surveys, and it shows that provider-patient relationships are a strong foundation to build on.
Care Coordination Remains an Area of Focus
Patients often struggle with what happens between visits. As Linda notes, beneficiaries “value seamless coordination but often report gaps,” particularly when navigating multiple providers or services.
They struggle to navigate between primary care, specialized care, and behavioral health services. They also have trouble understanding the next steps after a visit or discharge. Managing follow-ups and referrals can also be a challenge, according to survey data. This is especially true for patients with complex needs, including children with chronic conditions.
Support Services Shape Patient Experience
Services outside the clinic also affect patients’ satisfaction with their care.
Respondents report that reliable transportation affects their ability to access care. Scheduling and administrative processes also impact satisfaction. Both of these factors influence whether patients receive timely care.
Satisfaction Isn’t Always What You Expect
Surveys can reveal unexpected or surprising results that can further uncover more about patients’ perception of their care. One notable finding is that “overall satisfaction ratings often remain moderate to high, even when specific domains such as access to care or care coordination indicate areas for improvement,” Linda says. Certain aspects, such as provider trust and strong communication, outweigh some of the negative factors of the overall experience. Thus, patients are still satisfied with the care they receive when they do make it into the clinic.
This creates an important opportunity that providers can capitalize on to further enhance patient satisfaction. If providers and systems can work together to reduce access barriers and enhance coordination between different care teams, overall satisfaction would increase because the patient-provider relationship is already strong.
What This Means for Your Practice
These survey results reveal that patients are evaluating the entire care experience from scheduling to follow-up. One of the most reported gaps is in navigating the system through scheduling, follow-up care, and understanding available resources.
Recognizing this gap shows providers and health systems where patients may need additional support or assistance connecting to other avenues of care.
For example, AFMC conducted a pilot designed to help patients transition from a hospital bed to their own home by coordinating services and connecting them to community-based supports. Increased awareness and use of these types of programs can help close gaps that patients frequently identify.
How AFMC Turns Data Into Action
As a National Committee for Quality Assurance-certified CAHPS survey vendor, AFMC uses a rigorous process to ensure survey results are accurate, representative, and actionable.
Linda explains that AFMC’s methodology is designed to produce “reliable, valid, and representative results,” ensuring that findings accurately reflect the broader Medicaid population.
Our approach includes statistically valid sampling, mixed-mode data collection, and advanced analytical methods that account for differences across populations.
Once analyzed, we translate this data into two key tools for providers, government agencies, and the general public:
- Executive Summaries: Designed for state leadership, these highlight trends, performance gaps, and opportunities for improvement.
- Report Cards: Public-facing tools that make results accessible to providers, stakeholders, and beneficiaries, promoting transparency and accountability.
These two tools help guide policy decisions, quality improvement efforts, and system-wide enhancements in health care.
Access public-facing copies of health satisfaction surveys and report cards.
A More Complete Picture of Care
No single data point tells the full tale. Clinical data shows patient outcomes. Observational data reveals patient behavior and performance. Survey responses uncover patient perception of their care experience, including how care is accessed, coordinated, and experienced over time.
All three of these insights give providers insight into what’s working, where patients struggle, and where small changes can have a meaningful impact. Ultimately, these insights help ensure Medicaid services remain responsive to the needs and preferences of the population they serve.
Beneficiaries are telling a clear story in these surveys. They value their providers. They trust the care they receive. But they need better access and coordination, and support to fully benefit from that care. By listening to these voices and using the survey results to guide improvement, providers and state leaders can work to create a healthcare system that is truly patient-centered.
