How to create patient experience surveys to improve your practice

There is a profound disconnect between what patients value and what they feel they receive from American healthcare. According to the July 2025 PX Pulse survey from the Beryl Institute, 92% of consumers believe trust is vital. Yet, only 36% actually trust the health system, and for many, that trust is actively declining.

Since it began in 2019, the survey has highlighted a constant: the patient experience is crucial. Across 17 editions, its importance has never been rated as less than “very important” or “extremely important” by 90% of patients.

So the patient experience is important. But what is it, and how can your practice meet this expectation?

In this article, we'll explain why the patient experience is important and how to use a patient experience survey to measure it. We’ll show you how to design a survey, analyze the feedback, and use it to strengthen your practice, complete with a free downloadable template to get you started.

In 2008, University of Utah Health (U of U Health) increasingly received low rankings and negative feedback from patients. Patients noted poor communication, long wait times for scheduling, and uncoordinated care. They made it clear that the health system was failing them.

In response, its leadership launched a years-long initiative guided by a transformational principle: “Medical care can only be great if the patient thinks it is.”

Some healthcare professionals might quibble with evaluating the quality of care based on such a subjective metric. (We’ve all had patients who, no matter what we do, are never satisfied.) But it’s important to note that patient satisfaction and patient experience are not the same thing.

Patient satisfaction is more subjective. It evaluates whether an encounter met a patient’s expectations. Two people can receive identical care but rate their satisfaction with it differently because of their different expectations.

Patient experience is more objective. It evaluates whether a particular component of healthcare, such as being able to book an appointment in a timely manner or getting a clear explanation of a diagnosis from a provider, actually happened.

Today, U of U Health is consistently ranked in the top 10 in the nation for quality healthcare, and is known as a leader in compassionate and coordinated care. The secret to this remarkable turnaround was a relentless focus on the patient, measured through patient experience surveys.

A patient experience survey gathers feedback and insights directly from patients. It asks about their experiences, preferences, and satisfaction along the touchpoints of their healthcare journey. Surveys give healthcare teams valuable insight into which parts of the process work well and which parts need improvement. When used correctly, a patient experience survey can help you optimize operations at your private practice. 

Patient experience surveys can offer a number of benefits, including:

Surveys can gather very specific feedback about your healthcare delivery model. This information enables you to address patient concerns swiftly to prevent patient attrition or negative online reviews. 

Well-designed patient experience surveys pinpoint specific aspects of the overall experience that may need attention. They help you to provide patient-centered care to your patient populations. With a multitude of touchpoints across the modern patient journey, the survey should include questions that speak to each. Ask about:

The feedback could help you save time and resources while creating a better patient experience. 

The feedback helps healthcare providers and organizations better understand patient expectations and patient behavior. Thus, surveys promote patient-centered care and help doctors tailor healthcare solutions to their patients.

It happens. You end a conversation with a patient thinking that you were on the same page about the plan of care. Then, after a question or two, you learn that that wasn’t the case at all. Patient experience surveys can help you evaluate the effectiveness of communication between your patients and your team. The results can help you pinpoint where communication breaks down and figure out how to improve it.

Want to engage your patients more in their own healthcare? Ask them in your patient experience survey. It's a great way to involve them in their own care and to learn about their patient journey. It empowers them to advocate for their own needs and expectations. When patients believe that their opinions and experiences matter, they often become more active in managing their health.

Some patient experience surveys include questions designed to provide insights into the impact of healthcare interventions on patients' lives. These types of surveys help healthcare professionals assess changes in a patient's quality of life or symptom management. Surveys improve patient monitoring. Patient-reported outcomes show their adherence to treatment plans, so that you can help them become more proactive in their care.

Many healthcare organizations use patient survey data to benchmark their performance against national or industry standards. This allows them to see how they compare to peers and to identify areas where they excel or lag behind.

Many healthcare accreditation bodies and regulatory agencies require hospitals and health systems to collect and report patient feedback as part of their compliance processes. Meeting these requirements is essential for maintaining accreditation.

It takes several steps to design an effective patient experience survey before it’s time to gather, analyze, and act upon the feedback you collect. Follow these 8 steps to create and execute the perfect cost-effective patient experience survey at your practice. You can also refer to this patient experience survey template for further ideas.

Before you write a single question, define what you want to learn. What specific aspects of the patient experience or practice operations are you trying to assess or improve? Your goal might be to:

Clear goals will help you design relevant survey questions and interpret the results effectively.

Determine how you will ensure patient confidentiality and anonymity. Patients are more likely to provide honest feedback when they feel secure, so communicate clearly how you will use and protect their data in accordance with applicable privacy regulations.

Keep your survey concise and focused. Patients are more likely to participate if doing so is fast and easy. Create a user-friendly survey with a logical flow and easy-to-understand language. Make sure that it directly addresses patient needs and the relationship with your practice.

Use a mix of closed-ended (multiple-choice) and open-ended (text-based) questions to gather both quantitative and qualitative data. It’s always a good idea to pilot test the survey with a small focus group of patients to identify any issues with wording, clarity, or response options.

Ultimately, a survey must be reliable, with reproducible results. It should measure what it's supposed to measure. And it should be brief, taking 10 minutes or less to complete. 

Consider using standardized, validated tools, such as the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) patient satisfaction surveys. Doing so can help make sure your results are reliable and comparable.

Determine the best method for distributing the survey. Options include text message, email, online form, or via a secure patient portal. To get the freshest insights, survey patients soon after their appointments. This captures feedback while the experience is still top of mind. It also helps to offer multiple opportunities to provide feedback.

Maintain respondent confidentiality and anonymity to encourage honest feedback. Remember to follow all HIPAA rules as you collect data.

Medical facilities can use PHI for healthcare operations, and therefore in surveys or questionnaires, as long as they state that in their privacy policy. Most practices give patients their privacy notice on or before the first visit. To remain HIPAA-compliant, explicitly include patient surveys in your privacy policy.

Examine survey results to identify trends, patterns, and areas that need improvements. Pay attention to both quantitative data (numerical ratings) and qualitative data (comments and suggestions). Together, this data will create a complete picture of your patients’ experiences and their healthcare consumer behavior. Determine how you can provide a better customer experience and ensure happier patients.

To add context, benchmark your survey results against industry standards, similar healthcare practices, and your previous surveys. This competitive analysis will help you gain insights into your performance relative to your peers. It also may show you how to derive a competitive advantage.

Use your findings to develop a detailed action plan. Prioritize pain points for improvement and set clear goals. Engage your staff and other clinicians in the improvement process and assign clear roles and responsibilities. Identify key performance indicators (KPIs) for improvements that are measurable and sustainable.

Close the feedback loop by informing patients of improvements you make based on their feedback. This reinforces that their input is valued and leads to tangible improvements. Be transparent about the steps that your practice is taking to address their concerns. This demonstrates a commitment to patient-centered care and can help build patient trust. 

Remember: improving patient satisfaction is an ongoing process. Continuously monitor the impact of your initiative by collecting feedback through follow-up surveys. Be prepared to review and refine your survey instrument and strategies based on your patients’ changing needs and expectations.

Acknowledge and celebrate achievements along the way. Recognize your clinicians and staff members for their part in providing quality patient care and patient outreach by using these healthcare processes. This helps to motivate them and reinforce a culture of patient-centered care. 

Timing for patient experience surveys is critical. Ideally, your practice should send patients a survey within a few hours of their appointments. This timing captures feedback while the experience is still fresh, which leads to more accurate and detailed responses. 

Send patient surveys electronically via text or email to allow for quick delivery and easy analysis. One approach is to include the survey link in a post-visit summary email that also includes instructions for follow-up care and payment information. While free tools like Google Forms are available, a comprehensive healthcare platform like Tebra will automate the process.

For example, practices using Tebra can have surveys sent automatically via text or email about 3 hours after the booked appointment. If a patient doesn’t respond, the platform sends a brief, automated reminder, increasing completion rates without adding to staff workload.

U of U Health identified 5 key domains from the patient’s perspective: caring, listening, explaining, teamwork, and efficiency. These domains provide a powerful starting point from which to develop your own patient experience survey.

You can translate these domains into an actionable framework that connects each area to a specific question, a KPI to track, and an owner responsible for improvement.

As you build your survey, customize and expand upon these ideas with more detailed questions. This will help you to create a comprehensive patient survey that addresses your practice's unique needs and priorities. Here are some examples:

On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being very dissatisfied and 10 being very satisfied, how would you rate your overall experience with our practice?

How easy was it to schedule an appointment with our practice?

How long did you wait before being seen by the healthcare provider at your last appointment?

Did your healthcare provider listen to your concerns and answer your questions during your last visit?

Did you receive clear information about your condition, treatment options, and next steps?

How would you rate the courtesy and professionalism of our staff, including receptionists, nurses, and support personnel?

How would you rate the cleanliness and comfort of our facilities, including waiting areas and examination rooms?

Are you able to secure appointments with your preferred healthcare provider when needed?

Do you have any specific suggestions about our services or your experience with our practice?

Alternatively, you can use this downloadable template to craft your patient survey.

Patient experience surveys are more than a practice report card; they’re a strategic tool for ongoing improvements. While they might not be a perfect solution for every practice — low-volume clinics may struggle with statistical significance, and all surveys are subject to bias — their value is undeniable if you use them correctly.

Crucially, the goal is not to compromise evidence-based care for higher scores. Instead, it’s to ensure that exceptional clinical care is delivered with an equally exceptional human experience.

Patient feedback can’t fix the entire healthcare system, but it can transform your corner of it. By listening to your patients, you gain the insights needed to center them in their own care, build lasting trust, and empower your team to provide the best service possible.

Curious about what more patients have to say? We surveyed 3,964 patients nationwide to understand how they choose a doctor and why the patient experience is key. Download the free report.

Patient experience surveys help identify pain points across scheduling, communication, and clinical care, giving practices actionable feedback. Surveys allow you to:

Learn additional strategies from this guide on using patient feedback.

Improving patient satisfaction requires a mix of high-quality care and seamless experiences:

Explore why high-quality care is the foundation of long-term patient satisfaction.

Monitoring satisfaction trends allows practices to respond quickly to patient needs:

See more approaches to measuring patient satisfaction.

For smaller practices, digital tools offer affordable, automated ways to gather patient input:

Explore how Tebra’s patient experience solutions simplify survey management and help practices collect actionable feedback.

Yes, modern patient experience platforms improve satisfaction while driving retention:

Discover how Tebra’s patient experience platform boosts satisfaction while reducing patient churn.