Survey resources for health care staff

Overview

There are different patient experience surveys tailored to specific health care delivery contexts: primary care, inpatient and outpatient. Different samples of patients who accessed care in these settings are invited to participate in the survey each time it is run (four times per year). 

For primary care, the sample is all patients who attended in a specific week, with the addition of all Māori and Pacific peoples within a 2-week period. Patient contact information is provided by Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand, on behalf of the general practice, for the purposes of the survey only. Selected patients are invited to participate in the survey via email or text. Survey invitations received by patients look like this (image file). The primary care patient experience survey can be completed on a computer, tablet, cell phone or other mobile device and looks like this (image).

For hospital inpatients and outpatients, the sample is some or all patients who attended in a 2-week period. Patient contact information is provided by Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand for the purposes of the survey only. Survey invitations received by patients look like this (image file). District data analysts prepare the sample in accordance with the survey methodology and procedures document (link). The hospital patient experience (inpatient and outpatient) survey can be completed on a computer, tablet, cell phone or other mobile device and looks like this (image).

How is survey information being protected?

All information is stored on an encrypted New Zealand server, and protocols are in place to maintain a high standard of security throughout the survey. All personally identifiable contact information will be permanently deleted from the system at the end of the survey. 

Te Tāhū Hauora Health Quality & Safety Commission has strict requirements that Ipsos and its partners must keep to when handling contact details and survey responses. See the Ipsos website for more information on their privacy policy: www.ipsos.com/en-nz/privacy-data-protection. 

Also see the Patient experience surveys: Privacy impact assessment report. This addresses the impact that the survey and reporting may have on individual privacy and outlines steps to assess and minimise potential areas of risk along with compliance with the information privacy principles. This report has been reviewed and endorsed by Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand.

Primary care practices and districts have patient consent for quality improvement activities, which covers this survey. 

Code of expectations

The code of expectations for health entities’ engagement with consumers and whānau is the guiding document for patient engagement and participation within the health sector. The code specifies using lived experience, including patient experience data to inform improvements in health services, with a focus on reducing health inequities for Māori, Pacific peoples and disabled people. See also the code of expectations implementation guide.

Patient experience is a good indicator of the quality of health services. Strong evidence shows that patients who have better experiences, who report being listened to and treated with respect by their doctors and nurses, are more likely to follow advice, get recommended follow-up care and fill their prescriptions. Consumer and whānau engagement ensures consumer experiences and views are embedded within the planning, design and delivery of the health service.

Consumer engagement quality and safety marker

The consumer engagement quality and safety marker is a mechanism to assess what successful consumer and whānau engagement looks like and how it improves the quality and safety of services. You can access it here.

RNZCGP Foundation Standard 8.2/Cornerstone accreditation

The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners recognises the adult primary care patient experience survey as a source of evidence towards meeting Foundation Standard 8.2 and Cornerstone accreditation.

Getting started

If you are new to the survey programme, we have ‘getting started’ guides for primary health organisations and practices. We also provide a link to the patient management system instructions for those who are involved with submitting or reviewing primary care patient data.

• Adult primary care patient experience survey: primary health organisation guide to getting started
• Adult primary care patient experience survey: General practice guide to getting started
•  Adult primary care patient experience survey: patient management system instructions
  

Reviewing comments

The surveys ask patients to provide free-text comments about their experiences. All comments made by patients are anonymous for the patient; however, some comments can identify a facility, staff member or other health organisation. We recommend a systematic process to reviewing comments. 

Resource: Adult primary care patient experience survey: protocol for reviewing patient comments

Access to patient comments for review is through the secure online data collection portal.

Resources

These resources were created to support the development of the national patient experience programme and can be used by providers to develop local surveys.

• Core question set handbook
• Development of patient experience indicators for New Zealand
• New Zealand patient experience survey programme refresh 2019/20
•  Measuring culturally safe care through the patient experience surveys
• Adult hospital (inpatient and outpatient) experience survey: methodology and procedures
• Adult primary care patient experience survey: methodology and procedures 
• Patient experience surveys: privacy impact assessment report 
• Adult hospital inpatient experience survey questionnaire 
• Adult hospital outpatient experience survey questionnaire 
• Adult primary care patient experience survey questionnaire 
• COVID-19 patient experience survey questionnaire