Benchmarking scores in healthcare feedback

Benchmarking is both a common and an important practice in healthcare feedback surveys. It helps organizations to measure their performance against industry standards and competitors. Benchmarking is based on comparing key metrics and performance to get valuable insights and identify areas for improvement.

What to benchmark?

The logical first question is what do you benchmark in your feedback data? Here’s our take on this:

• Net Promoter Score: NPS is a widely used metric that measures patient loyalty by asking how likely they are to recommend your services to others. It's important to benchmark NPS to understand how your patient satisfaction compares with industry standards.
• ‍Delivery rate: this metric tracks the percentage of survey invitations successfully delivered to patients. A high delivery rate ensures that your feedback requests reach your audience, which is the first step in obtaining valuable feedback.
• ‍Response rate: response rate measures the percentage of patients who complete the survey out of those who received the invitation. High response rates indicate strong engagement and a greater likelihood of obtaining representative feedback.
• ‍Completion rate: this metric looks at the percentage of patients who finish the survey once they start. A high completion rate suggests that the survey is user-friendly and engaging, providing more complete data for analysis.

How to benchmark?

Once you define what you want to benchmark, it’s time to look into the methodology.

• Internal benchmarking: start by establishing internal benchmarks based on your past performance. This helps you track improvements over time and set realistic goals for your feedback initiatives.
• ‍Industry benchmarking: compare your metrics with industry standards — e.g., the average NPS in healthcare typically ranges from 38 to 58, depending on the specialty and market conditions​; knowing these benchmarks helps you understand where you stand relative to your peers.
• ‍Competitor analysis: look at the performance of similar healthcare providers. This can provide context for your scores and highlight areas where you might need to improve to stay competitive.
• ‍Segmentation: break down your data by different segments, such as patient demographics or types of services provided. This can reveal specific areas of strength or weakness and guide targeted improvements.

When to benchmark

Benchmarking should be an ongoing process, integrated into your regular performance review cycle. There are times and/or periods when it’s best to benchmark, and they include quarterly reviews, post-initiative or post-implementation assessments, and annual reports for a big-picture view.

Relevance of sector benchmarks

Benchmarking against industry standards is crucial for several reasons. In terms of performance evaluation, it provides a clear picture of where you stand in the competitive landscape. In terms of goal setting, industry benchmarks help set realistic and ambitious goals.

Another good use case of exploring industry benchmarks in depth is identifying best practices — like understanding how top performers achieve their results. Knowing industry standards also helps align your services with patient expectations, which can enhance satisfaction and loyalty.

Insider tips

Here are some more practical tips for you benchmarking efforts:

• Use a mix of metrics: Combining various metrics provides a holistic view of patient feedback and experiences.
• Regular monitoring: Continuously track and analyze these metrics to spot trends, and stay proactive in addressing issues before they escalate.
• Segment your data: Analyze metrics by different patient demographics and visit types to understand specific needs and preferences. 
• Engage with patients: Uuse follow-up questions to delve deeper into patient feedback. 
• Train staff: Ensure that your staff understands the importance of these metrics and how to act on the insights gathered. 

Conclusion

Benchmarking feedback survey scores is essential for healthcare providers to measure performance, identify improvement areas, and stay competitive. Use tools like InsiderCX to integrate and monitor these metrics seamlessly, ensuring a robust and effective feedback strategy.