BH-ECHO Users

Executive Summary

Community Care Behavioral Health
2002 Member Satisfaction Survey
Allegheny County

As part of its ongoing quality control efforts, Community Care Behavioral Health (CCBH), the managed behavioral health care organization serving medical assistance clients in Allegheny County, conducts an annual member satisfaction survey. As a contractor for Pennsylvania's medical assistance program, CCBH is required by the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (DPW) to conduct the survey. As stated by DPW, “the purpose of the Member Satisfaction Survey is to determine the extent to which the [Behavioral Health—Managed Care Organization (BH-MCO)] adult members and family members of children and adolescents are satisfied with overall BH-MCO operations and services, and to identify areas which need improvement.” DPW has also specified several priority or special needs populations from which statistically valid samples need to be drawn. These populations include adult seriously mentally ill and drug and alcohol groups, a child Behavioral Health Rehabilitative Services (BHRS) group, as well as members filing complaints or grievances. In addition, users of behavioral health services who are not priority group members, as well as non-service using members are also included, in order to obtain a sample of the entire member population.

The University Center for Social and Urban Research (UCSUR) at the University of Pittsburgh was contracted by CCBH to conduct the 2002 member satisfaction survey. The body of the final report contains three major results sections—experiences and satisfaction with 1) access to treatment, 2) treatment quality, including child BHRS services, and 3) CCBH operations and services—and a detailed survey methodology appendix. This executive summary briefly describes the survey methodology and the major results from the three substantive areas. It concludes with a summary statement of the degree to which CCBH appears to be meeting the needs of its members. In addition to overall estimates for the survey variables, the analyses focused on priority group and demographic differences. Overall estimates for 2002 are also compared to those from the 2001 survey.

Survey Methodology

The survey methodology was consistent with DPW guidelines, as well as with recommendations made by the Behavioral Health Management Panel, the National Committee for Quality Assurance, and the Harvard Medical School Consumer Assessment of Health Plans Study team. We used a disproportionate stratified sample design in which priority population consumers of behavioral health services between September 1, 2001 and August 31, 2002 were sampled at a higher rate than non-priority consumers or those who had not used services. Within the priority population groups, given their relatively small sizes, we simply attempted to survey all members. Random samples were drawn within the larger non-priority user and non-user populations. The overall goal of the sampling strategy was to obtain statistically valid estimates of satisfaction for the membership as a whole, as well as for the various priority populations. The total sample size was 7,170.

Data collection, which involved one survey mailing and attempted telephone interviews with non-respondents, occurred between mid September and late December 2002. These efforts resulted in a total of 2,279 completed surveys (1,238 by mail and 1,041 by phone), for an overall response rate of 31.8%. Approximately 16% of the initial sample (n = 1,139) did not have good contact information (i.e., the DPW database contained an invalid address or phone number). The 2,279 completed surveys represent a 38% response rate among members with good contact information. A total of 1,846 members (81% of the completions) reported receiving behavioral health treatment within the past year. An additional 57 surveys were received by mail from adult substance abuse treatment patients (increasing the total completed surveys to 3,336). As required by DPW, these surveys were distributed anonymously through service providers. The adult and child versions of the Experience of Care and Health Outcomes (ECHO™) survey were administered, supplemented by additional questions that cover areas specified by DPW, or that were of particular interest to CCBH.

For further information contact:
Kathleen McMaster
412-402-8773

Return to Mental Health Quality Measures

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Internet Citation:

Child Health Care Quality Toolbox: BH-ECHO Users. July 2004. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/chtoolbx/bh_mco.htm

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