Member Satisfaction

It is important for providers to know if members are satisfied with the care and services received. Community Care contracts with Symphony Performance Health Analytics (SPH) to conduct an annual Member Satisfaction Survey using a modified version of the Experience of Care and Health Outcomes (ECHO) Survey. Overall, the 2022 Member Satisfaction Survey, based on care received in 2021, reflected high member satisfaction in several areas. With satisfaction rates at or above 90%, members and families responded that providers:

  • Explained things in a way members could understand
  • Made members feel safe as well as respected what they had to say
  • Had the skill set to effectively address members’ needs related to race, ethnicity, and language.

For several years the highest satisfaction score has been for the Community Care Behavioral Health category, with members reporting no delays in counseling or treatment while waiting for approval of services by Community Care.

Community Care identified two opportunities for improvement based upon the 2022 Member Satisfaction Survey results. These two areas include the Response Rate, which was 10.6% for adults and 12.6% for children, as well as Urgent Access, which had an adult rate of 63.9% and a child rate of 60.4%.

To address the low response rates, Community Care will implement the following interventions:

  • Continued monetary incentive for members to complete the survey, with possible restructuring of this incentive for the next survey
  • Online survey option will continue to be offered
  • Pre-survey letter mailed to members to inform of the potential that they could receive a survey. This letter includes information on how Community Care uses the feedback to help improve member satisfaction
  • Community Care will work with SPH to initiate an earlier fielding time and lessen overlap with other surveys that members may receive.

Community Care will also implement the below interventions to address Urgent Access:

  • An Access Summary Report template was developed within Community Care’s internal database system to identify network fluctuations within each contract.
  • A Provider Alert related to appointment standards, including Urgent Access, was sent to providers on May 20, 2022 (Provider Alert 9 I May 2022 I Provider Requirements for Appointment Access).
  • Triaged member calls to Community Care will be tracked to ensure appointment referrals are made within the time standards by Care Management and Customer Service for emergent and urgent calls.
  • The implementation of the 1135 waiver due to COVID-19 allowed for the loosening of precertification and authorization protocols as well as the expansion of telehealth, which enabled quicker and easier access to services. Some of these protocols will continue even after the termination of the 1135 waiver on May 11, 2023.
  • To ensure members had access to services throughout the pandemic, Community Care established member webpages to offer resources as well as communicated up-to-date information related to COVID-19 and its impact on services (COVID-19 Members: HealthChoices Members - Community Care (ccbh.com)). Information on telehealth was also provided (Telehealth: HealthChoices Members - Community Care (ccbh.com)).
  • To support providers throughout the pandemic and ensure access to services, Community Care established a provider COVID-19 webpage with numerous resources, including, but not limited to guidelines on delivering community-based services during the COVID-19 crisis, guidance for infection control for bed-based services, telehealth protocols, etc. (COVID-19 Information: HealthChoices Providers - Community Care (ccbh.com)).
  • Customer Service and Care Management staff are available to help members schedule appointments. Community Care maintains a “Contact Us” link on the Community Care member webpage, so that members may easily contact Customer Service at any time.
  • Access standards are shared at the Member and Family Advisory Meetings, with reminders that Community Care can be contacted if help is needed in scheduling appointments.
  • Access standards are also shared during provider meetings as a reminder of the expectations and to encourage providers to contact Community Care if a member’s request for an urgent appointment cannot be accommodated, as Community Care will assist the provider and/or member.
  • Member cards are distributed in the new member packets. These cards contain information regarding Community Care as well as how to access behavioral health services.
  • Community Care publishes Urgent Access standards annually. The most recent member newsletter, “Foundations,” from December 2021 (Volume 9, Issue 2) contained the article “Getting Treatment When You Need It,” which outlined access standards for Urgent Access as well as actions to take if members have problems getting an appointment when needed (Foundations I Volume 9 I Issue 2 I December 2021 (ccbh.com).
  • Community Care maintains a webpage that outlines Urgent Access standards. This webpage details Care Management interventions related to ensuring access as well as how to contact Community Care if members are having problems getting an appointment soon enough to meet their needs (Getting an Appointment on Time: HealthChoices Members - Community Care (ccbh.com)).

In 2021, the survey was modified to assess the impacts of COVID-19 and evaluate data related to race, ethnicity, and language. Members reported high levels of satisfaction with the option of receiving services via telehealth, which scored 95.1% for adults and 92.7% for children. Additional statistical analysis was performed to identify differences within the survey questions based upon race, ethnicity, and language. Both the highest and lowest satisfaction scores by race, ethnicity, and language align with the overall results of the survey, with White and Black members having very high rates of satisfaction with Telehealth, and White, Black, and Asian members having low rates of satisfaction within the Urgent Access category. It should be noted that these results should be interpreted with caution due to some of the lower sample sizes associated within the various sub-populations.

Community Care thanks providers for their efforts to increase members' satisfaction. If you have any thoughts, ideas, or comments please call your provider representative.