I guess it’s all good.
Cigna has come out with a new online survey (press release) that let’s members “rate their behavioral health care experience across a broad range of factors, such as how easy it was to make an appointment, whether they were seen on time, the physical condition of the care giver’s office, as well as the quality of the treatment itself.”
If these member responses help Cigna and behavioral health professionals provide better care, I’m all for it. But there are two points of reference that come to mind as I consider the Cigna effort.
1. Some time ago, Harvard professor Robert Blendon offered a provocative assessment of public attitudes toward managed care after the first HMO horror stories started to emerge. Blendon pointed out that the HMO backlash of the 1990s actually occurred as overall customer satisfaction with HMOs was pretty high. His conclusion: people are willing to endure obtrusive administrative barriers and other annoyances as long as they aren’t denied care when they are really sick.
2. Boston-based Best Doctors, which reviews diagnosis and treatment recommendations made by physicians, has found that even when the diagnosis is wrong, the vast majority of patients stay with their physician. What changes isn’t the provider of the care, but the care that’s provided.
This is just a guess, but here’s what I think Cigna will find out from its online survey. People generally like their behavioral healthcare providers, and as much as they dislike petty bureaucratic annoyances, they’re willing to put up with it all as long as they aren’t denied care when they’re really in need.
I’ll be interested if seeing Cigna uncovers anything substantially different.
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