Closing the patient experience gap: Equity in healthcare

Achieving true equity in healthcare is a critical yet complex challenge that every organization grapples with. Disparities can be difficult to spot, often masked by aggregate data. But when we look closer, certain patterns emerge. Patients' experiences and outcomes still vary widely based on demographic factors, including age, sex, race and ethnicity, income, and geography.

In recent years, research has shed light on disparities and variation in clinical outcomes. Women, for example, are often underdiagnosed with heart disease, while individuals in low-income or rural communities face significant barriers to accessing preventive care, routine check-ups, and critical services like mental health support. Black women experience significantly higher maternal mortality rates than women of any other race.

Beyond clinical outcomes, we also see differences in reported patient experience. We call these variations the "experience gap," which often manifests in inequitable access to care, quality of treatment, and communication. They impact patient care, safety, and outcomes-and ultimately the health and well-being of our communities. Addressing these inequities is more than a professional responsibility. It's an obligation for everyone working in healthcare to work toward high-quality care for all patients.

As my colleague and Press Ganey Chief Safety and Transformation Officer Dr. Tejal Gandhi often says, "There's no such thing as safe, high-quality care that's also inequitable." Equity isn't an extra step. It must be embedded into every aspect of healthcare, from patient interactions to system-wide policies, to ensure each individual receives the same standard of care and is supported to achieve optimal outcomes.

But we need more than good intentions to close these experience gaps. We need data that provides rich insight into the patient experience, helping us see around corners and understand what we don't know. Quality improvement activities have always used segmentation to tailor efforts to close gaps-often by cohorting locations or clinical care that had common challenges Our "Patient experience in 2024 " report sheds light on existing experience gaps among patient populations, especially those who have historically gone unheard or overlooked in medical environments. Only by exposing these gaps can healthcare organizations create solutions that truly meet the diverse needs of the populations they serve.

By the numbers: Understanding the patient experience gap across the end-to-end patient journey

Our data consistently highlights the depth and breadth of experience gaps across patient demographics and care settings. While some racial and ethnic groups report more positive inpatient care experiences, disparities remain and vary by topic, demographic group, care setting, and specific patient experience issues.

Our inpatient data reveals several key patterns. Patients identifying as Spanish/Hispanic/Latino and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander report higher-than-average experiences on most measures. White patients tend to rate their experiences slightly above average-though it's important to mention that they represent the majority of respondents. Conversely, those who identify as American Indian/Alaska Native report worse-than-average experiences across most care attributes, with the exception of certain aspects related to information and amenities. Asian patients are less likely to rate the hospital as a 9 or 10, and they rate their experiences lower across many categories. Black patients report more favorable scores for receiving information during care but lower-than-average ratings on staff teamwork, empathy, and privacy. These disparities highlight the need for targeted interventions rather than a one-size-fits-all approach to improving patient experience.

Experience gaps aren't confined to clinical settings. They shape every interaction along the healthcare journey. From access and appointment scheduling to communication, these disparities are not universal-the magnitude and direction differ across racial and ethnic groups. Addressing them requires a deeper understanding of where frictions arise, as well as a commitment to eliminating barriers to equitable, patient-centered care.

Improving the patient experience by taking an equity lens to your data

Inequity fundamentally highlights variation in the quality of care. In other words, care will only be truly optimal or high quality when it is equitable. But despite the best intentions of healthcare providers, leaders, and organizations to deliver equitable care for all, opportunities will be missed unless data segmentation becomes the norm.

As healthcare professionals, understanding and addressing these experience gaps is critical to ensuring equitable care. It's not only about improving PX scores and ratings. It's about ensuring that all patients can access care, feel heard and respected, and are treated fairly.

1. Context is everything when it comes to truly understanding patients' experiences. Expanding the scope of data analysis can uncover hidden disparities and provide a richer, more accurate picture of care. For example, asking for feedback immediately after an appointment might capture a patient's initial impressions, while following up weeks later could reveal a deeper, more reflective perspective about their trust in your organization's brand.

2. While factors like race, gender, and socioeconomic status undeniably shape patient experiences, they're only part of the story. A meaningful analysis must also consider care settings, clinical needs, and where inequities most often surface. Remember: Demographics themselves don't cause disparities. Rather, they often point to underlying lived experiences, biases, and differences in trust.

3. By digging deeper into the data and examining the full context, healthcare organizations can better understand and address the root causes of inequities that may not be immediately apparent. This opens the door to more targeted and meaningful interventions, paving the way for more equitable, high-quality care for all.

The journey toward equitable healthcare is ongoing-and it's one that requires our commitment, collectively as healthcare professionals, to listen, learn, and implement changes that resonate across all communities. Download Press Ganey's latest patient experience report to learn more. To speak directly with a member of our PX team, reach out here.

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