Web-Only Data Collection
Starting in Q1 FY 2014, the HCSDB survey began web-only data collection. Because response to a web-only survey is lower, the survey was sent to approximately 100,000 users, compared to prior quarters where 51,000 users were contacted. Additionally, the 2006 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) definitions of height and weight were used to remove any values out of range. The definition of Prime Enrollees now also includes TRICARE Young Adult Prime enrollees, and the definition of Select Enrollees includes both Standard/Extra enrollees and TRICARE Young Adult Stand/Extra enrollees.
Transition from Version 4.0 to Version 5.0
Also, starting in Q1 FY 2014, the survey transitioned from version 4.0 of the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) survey to version 5.0. >>Learn More About this Change
Updated Benchmark Data
Starting in Q1 FY 2018, new benchmark data from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) for FY 2017 are used in calculating benchmarks for FY 2018 and later.
The Healthy People 2020 Benchmark was changed to 85 from 78 between Q3FY2019 and Q1FY2020.
Region Update
In FY2018, the North region was listed on the web pages as East-North and the South region was listed on the web pages as East-South.
The FY 2018 Annual Beneficiary Reports includes scores for the East-North and East-South regions, and an additional East Region. The East Region is the union of East-North and East-South. The East Region service scores are calculated by taking the weighted mean of the corresponding scores for East-North and East-South. The standard errors for East Region are calculated similarly, but by taking the square root of the weighted mean of the squares of the standard errors. For example, East Army is based on the final scores and standard errors for East-North Army and East-South Army. This is the same method used to aggregate scores for the topline regional and service scores.
Beginning in Q1 FY2019, the East-North and East-South regions that were introduced in Q1 FY2018 will no longer be displayed. The East region, which is the union of East-North and East-South and which was introduced in the FY 2018 Annual Beneficiary Reports, will continue to be displayed.
Beginning in Q1 FY2020, the East and West regions will be displayed only for Purchased Care Users.
Service Update
Starting in Q1 FY2019, there is a new DHA service displayed in the reports. This service includes MTFs that are now under the direct management of DHA as opposed to a specific service (e.g. Army, Navy).
HEDIS
FY 2017 and FY 2018 there was also a survey based on the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) questionnaire. This survey was fielded around the same time as quarter two for FY 2017 and FY 2018. This survey includes many of the same questions as HCSDB. 10746 of the 44218 observations in FY 2017 and 9815 of the 45456 observations in FY 2018 were from the HEDIS survey. The HEDIS samples included only Prime enrollees younger than 65 who are enrolled at one of the largest 53 facilities in the frame, and we sampled a constant number of beneficiaries per facility.