ICH CAHPS Survey vendors and ICH facilities should be advised of the following when using these state and national averages.

• The state and national averages are a weighted average of the 2015 Spring and 2015 Fall ICH CAHPS Surveys. Scores are weighted using the number of respondents for each survey period, thus for a given state the survey period with more respondents will contribute more to that state’s average score.
• The average scores for the ratings and composite measures are patient-mix adjusted.
• The state averages are based on survey responses from all sample patients included in both the 2015 Spring Survey and 2015 Fall Survey who received hemodialysis from an ICH facility in that state during the sampling windows. The sampling window for the 2015 Spring Survey was from October 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014; the sampling window for the 2015 Fall Survey is from April 1, 2015 through June 30, 2015.
• The average global ratings represent the percentage of sample patients served by the ICH facilities in the state who rated the nephrologists, the dialysis center staff and the dialysis center a 9 or 10 on each of the respective questions.
• The averages for the composite measures represent the percentage of sample patients who responded that the nephrologist and dialysis center staff “always” communicated well with them, provided information needed and operated professionally and according to expectations.

The three global ratings and the three composite measures for which state and national averages are provided are shown below. 

 
Global Ratings

• Rating of kidney doctors (Q8)
• Rating of dialysis center staff (Q32)
• Rating of the dialysis center (Q35)

ICH CAHPS Composite Measures

• Nephrologists Communication and Caring (Qs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9)
• Quality of Dialysis Center Care and Operations (Qs. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 33, 34 and 43)
• Providing Information to Patients (Qs. 19, 28, 29, 30, 31, 36, 38, 39, and 40)

The actual ratings questions and the text of questions that form each composite measure are included here.

Please contact the Coordination Team via email at ichcahps@rti.org or call 1-866-245-8083 if you have any questions or need information about the 2015 ICH CAHPS state and national averages.