CAHPS Database
What are the CAHPS Databases?
The CAHPS Databases are AHRQ's data repositories for selected CAHPS surveys. The primary purpose of the CAHPS Databases are to facilitate comparisons of CAHPS survey results by and among survey users. This voluntary compilation of survey results from a large pool of survey users into central databases enables participants to compare their own results to relevant reference points, such as overall and regional averages. The CAHPS Databases also offer important sources of primary data for research related to patient and consumer assessments of quality as measured by CAHPS surveys.
What Data are in the CAHPS Databases?
The CAHPS program administers databases for three CAHPS surveys:
- CAHPS Health Plan Survey—Results for the Commercial and Medicaid Survey submitted by various sponsors, including public and private employers, State Medicaid agencies, State Children's Health Insurance Programs (CHIP), and individual health plans, since 1998.
- CAHPS Clinician & Group Survey—Results for multiple versions of this survey submitted by various sponsors, including practice sites, medical groups, and regional health collaboratives, since 2010.
- New: CAHPS Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Survey—Results for this cross-disability survey submitted by State Medicaid agencies and the managed care entities with which they contract. Operational in early 2020. Learn about the CAHPS HCBS Survey Database (PDF, 240 KB).
Review a summary table describing the composition of the CAHPS Databases.
How Can I See Results from CAHPS Surveys?
To support the use of results from the Health Plan Survey and the Clinician & Group Survey, the CAHPS program produces summary chartbooks and provides access to aggregated results for composite measures, rating measures, and individual survey items, organized according to survey version and field period.
View, print, and download custom reports of CAHPS Health Plan Survey results for Medicaid (adult and child), CHIP (child), and Medicare (adult) populations for the two most recent years of data.
Chartbooks:
2019 CAHPS Health Plan Survey Chartbook
(PDF, 1.1 MB):
Summary-level results for the CAHPS Health Plan Survey.
Highlights of the Health Plan Chartbook: Graphic Summary (PDF, 223.4 KB)
View, print, and download custom reports of CAHPS Clinician & Group Survey results for most current versions of the survey, including the 2.0 and 3.0 versions for adult and child populations, as well as for the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) supplemental item set.
Chartbooks:
2018 CAHPS Clinician & Group Survey Chartbook (PDF, 1.2 MB):
Summary-level results for the CAHPS Clinician & Group Survey.
Highlights of the Clinician & Group: Graphic Summary (PDF, 301 KB)
How do I Participate in the CAHPS Databases for the Health Plan Survey or Clinician & Group Survey?
Participation in the CAHPS Databases is free and open to users of the Health Plan Survey or Clinician & Group Survey that administer surveys according to CAHPS specifications. In return, participating organizations can access a Private Feedback Report in Excel with their own results compared to the overall Database average.
To participate in the CAHPS Databases, survey users must meet certain requirements and submit specified information, including their survey data, through an online data submission system. Learn about submitting data to the CAHPS Database.
Participation in the Health Plan component of the CAHPS Database is open to all Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) survey sponsors that administer the 5.0 and 5.0H versions of the survey (with or without the Children with Chronic Conditions Item Set).
Participation in the Clinician & Group component of the CAHPS Database is open to all health systems, medical groups, practices, clinicians, and others that administer the 3.0 version of the survey (with or without the Patient-Centered Medical Home items).
Can I Use Survey Results from the CAHPS Databases to do Research?
Yes, you may request access to research datasets, which are de-identified data files from the CAHPS Databases, to help answer important health services research questions related to patient experience of care as measured by CAHPS surveys. AHRQ reviews and approves research requests year-round. On average, the time from receipt of request to release of data is approximately 45 days.
Questions? Email CAHPSDatabase@westat.com (Subject Line: De-identified CAHPS data).
