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A look at a couple of the most pressing problems confronting our profession in the immediate and the near future.

Since 2008, the HCAHPS—Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems—survey has allowed valid comparisons across hospitals locally, regionally, and nationally. The core of the survey contains 18 items that ask “how often” or whether patients experienced a critical aspect of hospital care, rather than whether they were “satisfied” with the care. The survey also includes four items to direct patients to relevant questions, three items to adjust for the mix of patients across hospitals, and two items that support Congressionally-mandated reports.