In January 2026, CMS held a webinar announcing details surrounding a new CAHPS® study, the End-of-Life Care Survey. Approved by AHRQ, the survey is intended to measure patient experience spanning across all care settings and providers involved in a patient’s final month of life. Below are key pieces of information to know about the new survey:
1. What does the survey measure?
The CAHPS End-of-Life Care Survey consists of 37 questions across the following dimensions:
- Getting Timely Care
- Communication
- Treating the Patient with Respect
- Getting Help for Symptoms
- Emotional Support
- Care Preferences
- Overall Rating (0–10 scale)
In accordance with CMS’ focus on value-based care and care coordination, the CAHPS End-of-Life Survey seeks to collect insights around care transitions during the patient’s final month. CMS believes these transitions come at some of the most vulnerable moments of the patient experience, with the survey painting a holistic picture of care through its unique cross-sectional perspective.
2. Is the survey mandatory to complete?
While the survey is currently not mandated by CMS, health systems, ACOs, Medicare Advantage plans, hospices, and other organizations involved in patients’ final months are all encouraged to participate in the administration of the CAHPS End-of-Life Care survey. However, CMS has previously mandated surveys that started as voluntary and could require End-of-Life Care Survey administration in the future. The survey is administered to caregivers and loved ones of recently deceased patients through a mixed-mode phone and mail methodology with the option to complete the survey in English or Spanish.
3. How does the survey differ from CAHPS Hospice?
While both surveys measure patient experience during the end of a patients’ life from the perspective of caregivers, the End-of-Life Care Survey differentiates itself through its measurements across multiple care settings. End-of-Life Care Surveys can include insights from the hospice setting, while also covering care transitions from home care, outpatient clinics, assisted living, nursing homes, hospitals, and emergency departments. More information about the CAHPS Hospice Survey can be found here.
4. How was the survey developed?
CMS gathered input from a variety of places to create the End-of-Life Care Survey, from analyzing similar survey instruments to expert panel discussions and interviews with patient caregivers. This culminated in field testing among Medicare Advantage patient families to refine the survey and identify best practices for administration.
5. How can PRC help?
PRC is a longtime CAHPS-approved vendor by CMS and a pioneer in the healthcare research space. We’ve partnered with thousands of hospitals and health systems across the country, helping them improve their organizational experience across the continuum of care. For End-of-Life Care Surveys, PRC can support your organization at all steps of the survey process, from caregiver sampling strategy to the mixed mode administration and actionable reporting.
Contact us today for more information about the End-of-Life Care Survey and to bring insights from the study to your organization.
Sources and Further Reading:
AHRQ Presentation: Introducing the CAHPS End-of-Life Care Survey
AHRQ: Guidelines for Using the CAHPS End-of-Life Care Survey