Hospitals in South Dakota have the highest physician communication scores, while hospitals in Nevada have the lowest, CMS data shows.
CMS collects and publicly reports data on physician communication as part of its HCAHPS survey data. The measure assesses the percentage of patients who reported that their physicians "always" communicated well. The data was collected in 2022 and published in CMS' Provider Data Catalog Nov. 8.
Nationwide, 79% of patients reported physicians always communicated well, according to CMS data.
See how each state and Washington, D.C., stack up below. Note: The list includes ties.
1. South Dakota — 86% of patients reported nurses always communicated well
2. Montana — 85%
North Dakota — 85%
3. Kansas — 84%
Louisiana — 84%
Minnesota — 84%
Mississippi — 84%
4. Arkansas — 83%
Nebraska — 83%
Utah — 83%
5. Alabama — 82%
Iowa — 82%
Idaho — 82%
Wisconsin — 82%
6. Maine — 81%
Oklahoma — 81%
South Carolina — 81%
Vermont — 81%
7. Alaska — 80%
Colorado — 80%
Kentucky — 80%
North Carolina — 80%
Tennessee — 80%
Texas — 80%
Wyoming — 80%
Georgia — 79%
8. Indiana — 79%
Missouri — 79%
Rhode Island — 79%
West Virginia — 79%
9. Illinois — 78%
Massachusetts — 78%
Michigan — 78%
New Hampshire — 78%
Ohio — 78%
Oregon — 78%
Pennsylvania — 78%
Virginia — 78%
Washington — 78%
10. District of Columbia — 77%
Hawaii — 77%
New Mexico — 77%
11. Connecticut — 76%
12. Maryland — 75%
New York — 75%
13. Arizona — 74%
California — 74%
Delaware — 74%
Florida — 74%
14. New Jersey — 73%
15. Nevada — 72%