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Calendar Year (CY) 2023, Quarter 2 Data Submission Deadline Reminder – October 11, 2023
Data SubmissionPosted September 27, 2023

The data submission deadline for submitting Quarter 2 of calendar year 2023 data (CY23, Q2) to the OAS CAHPS Data Center is Wednesday, October 11, 2023. We thank those OAS CAHPS Survey vendors who have already begun submitting CY23, Q2 data for their client facilities. If you have not submitted any data for Quarter 2, we encourage you to begin submitting your files as soon as possible.

As we approach the next data submission deadline, please note the important points provided below.

Check your Vendor Authorization Report to make sure that all client facilities have authorized your organization to submit data on their behalf.
CMS will not accept any data files for the April, May, and/or June 2023 sample months after 8:00 PM Eastern Time on October 11, 2023.
Survey vendors should start submitting their data files as soon as possible to allow adequate time to re-submit data, if needed. You may submit files as many times as needed as long as the final file submission is successfully uploaded by the deadline.
Each time a data file for an HOPD or ASC is submitted, it overwrites any previously submitted data for that same facility for that survey period.
You must still submit an XML data file for an HOPD or ASC facility even if the corresponding monthly patient information file does not have any patients eligible to be sampled.
After each file upload, you will receive an email confirmation within several minutes notifying you whether the upload was successful.
All submitted files will go through validation checks. After the validation check is conducted, you will receive a second e-mail confirmation message notifying you whether your file has been accepted or rejected. The confirmation e-mail message will contain a hyperlink to a Data Submission Report, which shows details of the validation check and any file errors that were identified.
Survey vendors can access the Data Submission Reports on the project website by selecting "History" through the "Data Submission Reports" link in the Data Submission menu.
If you do not receive an e-mail message confirming that your file was successfully uploaded, an e-mail message providing the results of the validation checks, or you cannot view the Data Submission Reports on files that you have submitted, please contact the OAS CAHPS Data Center at oascahps@rti.org.

For additional information about data file preparation and data submission processes, please review Chapter XIII of the OAS CAHPS Survey Protocols and Guidelines Manual available under the Survey Materials tab on the OAS CAHPS website. Please contact the OAS CAHPS Survey Coordination Team via e-mail at oascahps@rti.org or call toll-free (866) 590-7468 if you have any questions or trouble submitting data files.

Calendar Year (CY) 2023, Quarter 2 Data Submission Deadline Reminder – October 11, 2023
Data SubmissionPosted September 13, 2023

As we approach the next data submission deadline, please note the important points provided below.

Check your Vendor Authorization Report to make sure that all client facilities have authorized your organization to submit data on their behalf.
CMS will not accept any data files for the April, May and/or June 2023 sample months after 8:00 PM Eastern Time on October 11, 2023.
Survey vendors should start submitting their data files as soon as possible to allow adequate time to re-submit data, if needed. You may submit files as many times as needed as long as the final file submission is successfully uploaded by the deadline.
Each time a data file for an HOPD or ASC is submitted, it overwrites any previously submitted data for that same facility for that survey period.
You must still submit an XML data file for an HOPD or ASC facility even if the corresponding monthly patient information file does not have any patients eligible to be sampled.
After each file upload, you will receive an email confirmation within several minutes notifying you whether the upload was successful.
All submitted files will go through validation checks. After the validation check is conducted, you will receive a second e-mail confirmation message notifying you whether your file has been accepted or rejected. The confirmation e-mail message will contain a hyperlink to a Data Submission Report, which shows details of the validation check and any file errors that were identified.
Survey vendors can access the Data Submission Reports on the project website by selecting "History" through the "Data Submission Reports" link in the Data Submission menu.
If you do not receive an e-mail message confirming that your file was successfully uploaded, an e-mail message providing the results of the validation checks, or you cannot view the Data Submission Reports on files that you have submitted, please contact the OAS CAHPS Data Center at oascahps@rti.org.

Registration Now Open for the OAS CAHPS Survey Vendor Update Webinar Training Session
TrainingPosted September 7, 2023

Registration is now open for the Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery CAHPS (OAS CAHPS) Survey Vendor Update Webinar Training session, which will take place on November 8, 2023 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM Eastern Time.

To register, please complete the Training Registration Form.

Survey vendors who wish to retain their status as approved OAS CAHPS Survey vendors are required to have their designated OAS CAHPS Project Director attend the entire session. We also strongly encourage all key OAS CAHPS staff, including sampling, data managers and subcontractors, to attend the Update Training. Key subcontractors are defined as a subcontractor that will conduct substantive work to support the implementation of the OAS CAHPS Survey. For purposes of this survey, substantive work is defined as follows:

ANY statistical function, including sample selection,
telephone or web survey data collection (i.e., if an approved vendor is subcontracting data collection activities),
returned mail and questionnaire receipt,
processing data for mail, telephone or web, and
construction or submission of XML data files.

Approved vendors that wish to apply for any new mode(s) and have not done so previously will also need to complete (and pass) an online certification, which will be available after the Update Training.

There are no restrictions on the number of people attending or the number of lines required for each vendor.

If you have any questions, you can contact the OAS CAHPS Survey Coordination Team at oascahps@rti.org or call toll-free 1-866-590-7468.

Registration Now Open for the Introduction to the OAS CAHPS Survey Self-Paced Training
TrainingPosted September 7, 2023

Registration is now open for the 2023 Introduction to the Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery CAHPS (OAS CAHPS) Survey self-paced training. Please note that training materials will be available on this website beginning in early November 2023.

To register, please complete the Training Registration Form.

Survey vendors interested in becoming an approved OAS CAHPS Survey vendor should review this previous announcement (September 1, 2022) for a detailed list of requirements. More information about the survey and the requirements for becoming an approved OAS CAHPS Survey vendor can be found in Chapter III of the OAS CAHPS Survey Protocols and Guidelines Manual, Version 7.0, available under the "Survey Materials" menu tab on this website.

Staff from hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, health care organizations, and other organizations interested in the implementation of the OAS CAHPS Survey may review this training as well but are not required to do so.

Survey vendors who have already been approved to conduct the OAS CAHPS Survey are not required to review the Introductory Training. However, approved survey vendors are required to attend the OAS CAHPS Survey Update Training session, which will be held via webinar on Wednesday, November 8, 2023.

If you have any questions, you can contact the OAS CAHPS Survey Coordination Team at oascahps@rti.org or call toll-free 1-866-590-7468.

Request for Interest in Becoming an Approved OAS CAHPS Survey Vendor
TrainingPosted August 14, 2023

Important Information for Survey Organizations Interested in Becoming an Approved OAS CAHPS Survey Vendor

***Any survey organization, not already a CMS-approved survey vendor for OAS CAHPS and interested in applying to become an approved OAS CAHPS Survey vendor must notify the OAS CAHPS Survey Coordination Team of their interest via email at oascahps@rti.org no later than September 1, 2023.***

The OAS CAHPS Survey Coordination Team is preparing for the next vendor application review cycle. This will include accepting and processing applications from survey organizations and training those survey vendors to become a CMS-approved OAS CAHPS Survey vendor. However, any interested survey organizations must notify us of their intent to submit an application via email by September 1, 2023. To become a CMS-approved OAS CAHPS Survey vendor, survey organizations must, at a minimum:

complete and submit the online OAS CAHPS Vendor Application form,
meet the minimum business requirements posted under the "For Vendors" menu tab on this website,
complete the self-paced Introduction to the OAS CAHPS Survey Training and in any subsequent OAS CAHPS Survey Vendor Update Webinar Training sessions,
complete (and pass) an online certification after completing the Introductory Training, and
ensure that any subcontractors with significant roles and staff who are in receipt of patient identifying data participate in all vendor training sessions. Key subcontractors are defined as a subcontractor that will conduct substantive work to support the implementation of the OAS CAHPS Survey. For purposes of this survey, substantive work is defined as follows:
- ANY statistical function, including sample selection,
- telephone or web survey data collection (i.e., if an approved vendor is subcontracting data collection activities),
- returned mail and questionnaire receipt,
- processing data for mail, telephone or web, and
- construction or submission of XML data files.

Additional information about survey vendor responsibilities on the OAS CAHPS Survey can be found in Chapter III of the OAS CAHPS Survey Protocols and Guidelines Manual, Version 7.0 that is available under the "Survey Materials" menu on this website.

Please contact the OAS CAHPS Survey Coordination Team via email at oascahps@rti.org or call toll-free (866) 590-7468, if you have any questions about this request for interest.

2023 OAS CAHPS Survey Update Webinar Training Session
TrainingPosted August 14, 2023

The next Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery CAHPS (OAS CAHPS) Survey Vendor Update Webinar Training session will take place on Wednesday, November 8, 2023. The session will be held from 1:00 to 3:00 PM Eastern Standard Time.

Online registration to attend the OAS CAHPS Survey Vendor Update Webinar Training session will be available soon. Please monitor this website for an announcement that registration is open.

Survey vendors who wish to retain their status as approved OAS CAHPS Survey vendors must have their OAS CAHPS Project Director attend the entire session. We also strongly encourage all key OAS CAHPS staff, including sampling, data managers and subcontractors, to attend the Update Training. Key subcontractors are defined as a subcontractor that will conduct substantive work to support the implementation of the OAS CAHPS Survey. For purposes of this survey, substantive work is defined as follows:

ANY statistical function, including sample selection,
telephone or web survey data collection (i.e., if an approved vendor is subcontracting data collection activities),
returned mail and questionnaire receipt,
processing data for mail, telephone or web, and
construction or submission of XML data files.

Approved vendors that wish to apply for one or both of the web mixed modes and have not done so previously will need to complete (and pass) an online certification, which will be available after the Update Training.

If you have questions, you can contact the OAS CAHPS Survey Coordination Team via email at oascahps@rti.org or call 1-866-590-7468.

2023 Introduction to the OAS CAHPS Survey Training: Self-Paced Format
TrainingPosted August 14, 2023

The 2023 Introduction to the Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery CAHPS (OAS CAHPS) Survey Training will be offered in a self-paced format beginning in early November 2023.

Organizations are required to register for this training online. Registration will be available soon. Please monitor this website for an announcement that registration is open.

The Introduction to the OAS CAHPS Survey Training is intended for the following:

Survey organizations interested in becoming approved OAS CAHPS Survey vendors. At a minimum, the vendor's designated OAS CAHPS Project Director must register for and complete the self-paced training and the training certification after training. We strongly encourage all key OAS CAHPS staff, including sampling and data managers and key subcontractors, to complete the Introductory Training. Key subcontractors are defined as a subcontractor that will conduct substantive work to support the implementation of the OAS CAHPS Survey. For purposes of this survey, substantive work is defined as follows:
- ANY statistical function, including sample selection,
- telephone or web survey data collection (i.e., if an approved vendor is subcontracting data collection activities),
- returned mail and questionnaire receipt,
- processing data for mail, telephone or web, and
- construction or submission of XML data files.
Survey vendors already approved as an OAS CAHPS Survey vendor are not required to complete this training; however, their staff are welcome to review the Introductory Training slides, especially those individuals who are new to the OAS CAHPS Survey and new subcontractors with significant roles (as defined above).
Approved vendors will be required to attend the live OAS CAHPS Survey Vendor Update Webinar Training on Wednesday, November 8, 2023 from 1:00 to 3:00 PM (Eastern Standard Time). Vendors interested in applying for approval to administer one or both of the web mixed modes will also need to complete an online certification, which will be available soon after the Update Training.

If you have questions, you can contact the OAS CAHPS Survey Coordination Team via email at oascahps@rti.org or call 1-866-590-7468.

Notice of Publication of the Proposed Rule for Calendar Year 2024
Final/Proposed RulesPosted July 31, 2023

The Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Systems and Quality Reporting Programs CY 2024 Proposed Rule has been published in the Federal Register today, July 31, 2023. The Proposed Rule is available on the OAS CAHPS website at the link provided here.

In this Proposed Rule, CMS plans to continue voluntary participation in the OAS CAHPS Survey through CY 2023 for HOPDs and CY 2024 for ASCs. Therefore, participation in the OAS CAHPS Survey will be linked to reimbursement beginning with CY 2024 for HOPDs and CY 2025 for ASCs. Confirmation of plans will be published in the CY 2024 Final Rule in November 2023.

The OPPS and ASC Rules are updated annually. The next update (CY 2025 Rule) will be proposed in July or August 2024 and finalized in November 2024. The CY 2025 Rule will reflect any planned changes that would impact the 2025 data collection period (CY 2027 payment determination).

If you have questions, you can contact the OAS CAHPS Survey Coordination Team via e-mail at oascahps@rti.org or call 1-866-590-7468.

OAS CAHPS Public Reporting Results Refreshed on Provider Data Catalog (Quarter 1, 2022 through Quarter 4, 2022)
Public ReportingPosted July 26, 2023

Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery CAHPS (OAS CAHPS) Survey results based on responses from patients who received an outpatient surgery or procedure between January 2022 and December 2022 are now publicly available on the Provider Data Catalog (PDC) website (formerly known as Data.Medicare.gov). The PDC website provides downloadable datasets (direct link: https://data.cms.gov/provider-data/). OAS CAHPS data are also referenced on Care Compare, which points to the downloadable datasets on the PDC website under “Resources & Information” (direct link: https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare/).

You can access OAS CAHPS Survey results at the facility, state and national levels. As a reminder, OAS CAHPS Survey results are updated quarterly, as shown in Table 16.2 of the OAS CAHPS Survey Protocols and Guidelines Manual.

For more information about how the data were analyzed and for the patient-mix adjustment factors that were used to statistically adjust the results that are currently being publicly reported, click on the “Patient Mix Adjustment Factors” in the Quick Links box on the Home page.

If you have any questions, please contact the OAS CAHPS Survey Coordination Team via e-mail at oascahps@rti.org or call toll-free (866) 590-7468.

Updated OAS CAHPS DNR Template with Missing Procedural Codes Tab
Other AnnouncementsPosted July 21, 2023

As a reminder, starting with the January 2023 sample month, vendors must submit an online DNR and an accompanying Excel file (using the template available through the online DNR form) when the percentage of patient records in a monthly patient file with missing procedural codes is more than 10%. (See previous announcement posted 1/31/23 for more details.)

The online DNR Excel template available on the OAS CAHPS website has been updated with clarifications to the Missing Procedural Codes tab. The header information for each data point at the time of sampling and at the time of data submission, have been clarified and additional data points have been added to facilitate auto-calculation of the percentage of cases with missing procedure codes. The clarifications are as follows for each affected sample month:

At the time of sampling for each month:

The number of eligible patient records (including presumed eligible) before sampling,
The number of presumed eligible patient records with missing procedural codes before sampling, and
The percentage of patient records missing procedural codes (the cell will auto calculate the percentage).

At the time of data submission for each month:

The number of patient records sampled,
The number of patient records still missing procedural codes, and
The percentage of sampled patient records still missing procedural codes (the cell will auto calculate the percentage).

Additional information on protocols for handling missing procedural codes can be found in Chapter IV and Chapter XVII of the OAS CAHPS Protocols and Guidelines Manual, Version 7.0.

Please contact the OAS CAHPS Survey Coordination Team via e-mail at oascahps@rti.org or call toll-free (866) 590-7468 if you have any questions.

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