ARC Associates

Perception of Care Survey

The 2006 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report on Improving the Quality of Health Care for Mental and Substance-use Conditions provides recommendations in seven strategic areas. Among recommendations for patient-centered care is the involvement of clients in the design, administration and delivery of treatment and recovery services. Well designed and implemented perception of care surveys are an important method for involving clients in improving the quality and effectiveness of services. Obtaining patient input is a standard in the health care field. Accreditation bodies require treatment organizations to routinely involve stakeholders, especially clients. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recognized this in identifying perception of care as one of 10 nation outcome domains. SAMHSA sponsored the Forum on Performance Measures for Behavioral Health and Related Service Systems which developed a “modular survey” for Substance Abuse Treatment services.

In 2011, the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services conducted two pilot surveys using an instrument closely modeled on SAMHSA’s Modular Survey, but with the inclusion of open-ended write-in items asking clients to identify problems and make recommendations. About 30 programs assisted in the development and participated in one or both surveys and over 1600 clients responded to the surveys. The Perception of Care (PoC) Survey System was developed based on experience from these pilot surveys.

The Perception of Care Survey System, developed by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services, is intended to support service providers in implementing effective client surveys as part of their Quality Improvement (QI) program. The system enables providers to collect, enter and analyze their own client survey data. Open-ended write-in questions are included so that clients can provide program managers with concrete ideas for quality improvement. (These client write-in responses cannot be viewed by state agency staff since their purpose is to help program directors improve services and they must be interpreted in the specific program context.) Guidelines are developed to assist providers in administering and utilizing their perception of care surveys as part of a client-driven quality improvement protocol at the programs level. 

• Perception of Care Survey System User Guide (6/20/2013)

• Perception of Care Survey System Link 

• "How to Improve Patient-centered Care Using Perception of Care Surveys," Presentation at the Network for Improving Addiction Treatment (NIATx) Summit, San Diego, July 16, 2013 (PDF Handout)

• Provider Feedback Questionnaire (Phase1 Implementation)
• 2008 Provider Survey Regarding Use of Client Surveys, Summary of Findings