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survey measure

surv_meas_ind
quality·Updated Jun 23, 2026

Definition

ISO-11179 Definition

A boolean indicator identifying a HEDIS measure derived from member experience surveys rather than administrative claims or medical record data, capturing patient-reported perceptions of care quality, access, coordination, and health plan service that cannot be measured from clinical data alone. The primary survey instruments used in HEDIS include the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems member experience survey and the Health Outcomes Survey measuring functional health status. Survey measures assess dimensions of care that clinical measures cannot capture — communication with doctors, ease of getting care, coordination between providers, and overall satisfaction.

CMS weights survey measures in Star Ratings calculations, and poor survey performance can significantly drag down overall star ratings even when clinical quality measures perform well. Healthcare data teams support survey measure improvement by analyzing member demographic segments with low satisfaction scores, identifying care experience pain points from verbatim survey comments, tracking call center and appeals metrics that predict survey dissatisfaction, and measuring the impact of member experience initiatives on subsequent survey results.

Standard Abbreviation

surv_meas_ind

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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