Overview
The Patient Experience of Social Care Measure is a validated survey tool for assessing how patients experience conversations and assistance related to health-related, non-medical needs in healthcare settings. It complements common performance measures that track whether patients were screened or referred by examining the quality of the patient experience.
What the Resource Covers
The measure asks patients whether their care team clearly explained why health-related, non-medical needs questions were being asked, communicated in their preferred language, established trust, and approached the conversation respectfully. Additional questions assess whether the information or referrals provided were relevant and helpful, whether follow-up occurred, and how patients rated their overall experience. The tool includes instructions, optional questions, skip logic, and scoring guidance, and organizations may use the full measure or selected sections at no cost.
Key Takeaways for Implementation
Organizations can use the results to identify opportunities to improve screening conversations, referral processes, communication, patient-centered communication, and follow-up support.
Who May Find This Resource Useful
This resource may be especially useful as an evaluation tool for healthcare organizations seeking to assess and improve patients’ experiences with programs that identify and address non-medical needs.
Resource Type: Evaluation tool
Topic Areas: Non-medical needs screening, referrals, patient experience, program evaluation.
Population or Setting: Patients receiving non-medical services in healthcare or health plan settings.
Publication Date: 2026
Source: Social Interventions Research and Evaluation Network (SIREN)
