What is the Health Outcome Survey (HOS)?

What is HOS?


The Health Outcomes Survey (HOS) is a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) survey that gathers meaningful health status data from people with Medicare. Like the CMS Healthcare Effectiveness Data  and  Information  Set  (HEDIS)  and  Consumer  Assessment  of  Healthcare  Providers  and  Systems (CAHPS), HOS is part of an integrated system for use in quality improvement activities and to establish accountability  in  managed  care.  All  managed  care  plans  with  Medicare  Advantage  (MA)  contracts, including CarePlus Health Plans, Inc., must participate.

How does HOS affect my patients and me?
HOS  may  be  of  interest  to  physicians  as  they  could  receive  questions  about  the  survey  from  their Medicare patients.

Survey questions pertain to patient-physician relationships and help identify areas for improving member health outcomes. Members are asked questions about overall physical and mental health status. They also are asked if they had a discussion about or received counseling or intervention from their physician on the following topics:

* Management of urinary incontinence
* Physical activity in older adults
* Fall risk management
* Osteoporosis testing in older women

CarePlus- participating physicians are encouraged to provide assessment and counseling for members in these particular areas. 

How does HOS work?  
A random sample of Medicare beneficiaries receives a baseline survey in the spring. Two years later, the  same  respondents  will  be  surveyed  for  follow-up  measurement.  Survey  completion  is  voluntary.  The  difference in the scores for the two-year period will show if members’ physical and mental health status  are  categorized  as  better,  the  same  or  worse  than  expected.  After  the  study  is  completed,  member  responses will be shared with CarePlus to use in quality improvement initiatives.

Who conducts the survey?

A CMS- approved Medicare survey vendor conducts the survey.

For  more  information  about  HOS,  please  call  the  CarePlus  Quality  Operations  Compliance  and  Accreditation Department at 305-626-5195.