Patient guide to patient experience surveys and ratings

Atrium Health values the partnerships we have with our patients and their loved ones. We are committed to providing you the information you need at your fingertips to make informed decisions about your health care, and about the physicians and other providers who walk the care journey with you. As part of that commitment, we post our physicians' patient satisfaction ratings online.

To assist you, we've developed this guide to help patients, family members and those considering appointments with Atrium Health physicians understand how we capture and report our patient experience ratings.

About our survey

Atrium Health is focused on providing an exceptional experience in every care interaction. All ratings are submitted by actual patients and verified by a leading company in the patient satisfaction industry. We measure all aspects of patient satisfaction. To ensure that we are holding ourselves to the highest standards, we partner with an independent patient satisfaction company. National Research Corporation provides the technology to display ratings and comments on our physician profile pages.

Who receives the survey?

The survey is sent to randomly selected Atrium Health patients following their appointments. Patients are asked to complete the survey and provide comments regarding their care. We use this feedback to recognize our team and enhance the care we offer.

Do you post all comments?

Atrium Health is committed to transparency. That means posting all relevant feedback – whether it’s positive or negative. However, we do not post comments that are libelous, profane, or those that risk the privacy of our patients. Every provider rating is published regardless of comment status.

How are the star ratings calculated?

We calculate our star ratings based on responses to the below questions from the patient experience survey.

• Did the care providers listen carefully to you?
• Did the care providers explain things in a way you could understand?
• How likely would you be to recommend this provider to your family and friends?

Why don't we see patient ratings and comments for every doctor?

Industry best practice is clear that more data provides a more accurate picture. That’s why we require a minimum of 30 completed patient surveys per doctor before we post a physician’s rating. Over time, with more surveys received on an ongoing basis, the number of rated physicians will increase.

A physician’s rating will only be posted on the site when he/she has a minimum of 30 completed surveys.

Can anyone complete a survey or post a comment about a physician?

No. Only patients having an outpatient visit by an Atrium Health physician may be selected to receive a survey. The results are based entirely from patients who have actually been treated by the physician.

How is patient information protected?

Patient names are not displayed through the online ratings and commentary reviews. All personally identifiable information is removed prior to display.