CMS unveils new rating system for hospitals

There are five-star hotels and restaurants, and soon there may be five-star hospitals. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has introduced a new hospital rating system for patient experience that will be based on a five-star scale. Ratings will be based on the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey, which measures patient experience at all Medicare-certified acute care hospitals based on factors such as facility cleanliness, staff responsiveness and clinician communication, among others. The American Hospital Association has objected to the new rating system, claiming it does not take into account all of the sociodemographic factors in patient populations that are often beyond hospitals' control. Read the full story at FierceHealthcare