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patient experience

pt_exp_scr
quality·Updated Jun 23, 2026

Definition

ISO-11179 Definition

A composite measure of patient-reported perceptions of the quality of their interactions with the healthcare system encompassing access to care, communication with providers, care coordination, shared decision-making, and overall satisfaction with the care received. Patient experience is distinct from patient satisfaction in that it measures objective experiences — whether the doctor explained things clearly, whether care was coordinated between providers, whether appointments were available in a timely manner — rather than subjective feelings about the care encounter. Patient experience data is collected through standardized surveys including CAHPS for health plans, HCAHPS for hospitals, and CG-CAHPS for physician practices.

CMS Star Ratings weight patient experience measures heavily, and poor patient experience scores can prevent plans from achieving four-star quality bonus payment thresholds even when clinical quality measures perform well. Healthcare data teams analyze pt_exp_scr by provider, service line, and member demographic segment to identify specific care experience deficiencies driving low scores and measure the impact of patient experience improvement initiatives on subsequent survey results.

Standard Abbreviation

pt_exp_scr

Category

quality

Production DDL — FACT_QUALITY_MEASURE

FACT_QUALITY_MEASURE.sql
CREATE OR REPLACE TABLE FACT_QUALITY_MEASURE (
    qlty_key        INTEGER        NOT NULL  -- surrogate key,
    mbr_key         INTEGER        NOT NULL  -- FK to DIM_MEMBER,
    plan_key        INTEGER        NOT NULL  -- FK to DIM_PLAN,
    meas_yr         SMALLINT                 -- measurement year,
    hedis_meas_cd   VARCHAR(20)              -- HEDIS measure code,
    denom_ind       CHAR(1)                  -- denominator eligible,
    numer_ind       CHAR(1)                  -- numerator met,
    excl_ind        CHAR(1)                  -- exclusion indicator,
    gap_open_ind    CHAR(1)                  -- care gap open,
    star_rtg_nbr    DECIMAL(3,1)             -- star rating,
    qlty_scr        DECIMAL(5,2)             -- quality score,
    perf_thrsh_pct  DECIMAL(5,2)             -- performance threshold,
    raf_scr         DECIMAL(10,3)            -- risk adjustment factor,
    outreach_cnt    SMALLINT                 -- outreach attempts,
    load_dt         TIMESTAMP_NTZ  NOT NULL  -- load timestamp
);

Standard Snowflake DDL for the canonical quality table. Convert to BigQuery or Databricks →

Why This Term Matters

Quality measure data determines how payers and providers are rated and reimbursed under CMS Stars, HEDIS, and value-based care contracts. Data engineers who understand quality terminology build measure calculation pipelines that correctly attribute patients, apply denominator exclusions, and flag documentation gaps before submission deadlines. Incorrect quality data directly affects star ratings, pay-for-performance bonuses, and Medicare Advantage plan bids.

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