Penn Medicine Experience Feedback program

At Penn Medicine, we are committed to providing exceptional care and continuously improving the patient experience. Our Penn Medicine Experience (PMX) Feedback program is a vital tool in achieving that goal.

How are we doing? View PMX Feedback results

The PMX Feedback survey collects and measures ratings from Penn Medicine patients of all ages, conditions, insurance types, and locations. Patients can also receive and respond to the survey in dozens of languages, ensuring they can share feedback in the language they prefer. The large variety of patients we survey sets us apart from other organizations that often base ratings on feedback from a less diverse patient pool.

How the PMX Feedback program works

We collect feedback through brief surveys sent directly to patients via text message shortly after their visit to one of our hundreds of medical practices.

These surveys are designed to gather insights into various aspects of the outpatient experience, including:

• How well we met the patient’s needs during their visit
• How well the team worked together to care for the patient
• How likely the patient is to recommend their healthcare provider
• How likely the patient is to recommend the practice

Once collected, feedback is carefully analyzed to identify trends, areas for improvement, and opportunities for enhancing patient care. The PMX feedback program also has a major advantage when compared with other patient surveys: flexibility. If any aspect of the patient experience needs to be looked at more closely, the PMX team can add customized survey questions to help better understand issue and inform improvements.

PMX Feedback data: How are we doing?

Between July 2021 and September 2023, more than 4.8 million PMX Feedback surveys were sent to patients after a visit to a Penn Medicine practice. We received more than 1.4 million responses. This 30% response rate is significantly higher than what we previously captured from patients (about 15%), and more than the industry standard (about 16%).

Patients reviewed their experience on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being very likely, very good, or very well.

Analyzing data in close-to-real-time

Before the PMX Feedback program began in July 2021, Penn Medicine collected patient feedback with long surveys sent by mail and email. Those surveys had a response rate of less than 15% and about a six-week lead time to receive and analyze feedback. Data from the surveys also was difficult to tie to practice data, which helps identify issues that lead to negative experiences.

Now, with the PMX Feedback program, 30% of patients respond to the five-question, text-based surveys. We can more easily connect a survey response with data in our practices, and it takes fewer than three days to collect and analyze survey data and begin to make plans to improve.

Putting feedback into practice

Real examples speak volumes. By collecting patient feedback on all aspects of their visit, we can make both clinical and operational changes to make the patient experience better.

Improvements inspired by patient feedback

Issue	Original patient feedback	What we did to fix the issue	Patient feedback after improvements
Provider delays and communication	“I don’t appreciate always having to wait an hour or so.” – Cardiology patient, Farm Journal Building	Created a new clinical services coordinator role. Employees in that role prepare exam rooms, communicate directly with patients about delays, and address other real-time issues. Changed scheduling processes, including balancing providers’ schedules, to avoid delays. Added a 15-minute window in a provider’s morning and afternoon appointment blocks to help them get back on track with their schedule twice each day, if needed.	“The entire Penn Med team is always welcoming, pleasant, helpful, and informative every time I come in for a medical appointment.”
Valet return time	“We valet parked, it took about 40 minutes to get my car." – Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine patient	Allowed patients to request their car and pay for valet parking when they complete other check-out steps in their doctor’s office. Because the pick-up process starts before the patient leaves the practice, their car is often waiting for them when they leave the Perelman Center or arrives quickly.	“Valet parking made the experience enjoyable, retrieving the car took very little time, almost no wait time.”
Parking options	“Maybe send a text ahead of the appointing with info discussing the different parking options.” – Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine patient	Patients receive the guide ahead of their appointment by text and/or email. Planned expansion of the Visit Guide for patients in other locations.	“Ease with finding the facility based on advanced info sent by text with instructions.”

Striving for continuous improvement

We treat every piece of critical feedback as an opportunity for growth.

Since the PMX Feedback program began, our team has engaged with more than 150,000 patients who shared concerns about their experience. Through conversations with those patients, we often learn more about their feedback and gain valuable insights that allow us to continuously refine and improve the patient journey at Penn Medicine.