32 Healthcare Survey Questions to Improve Patient Care & Staff Safety

Post-Discharge Follow-Up Surveys

What Post-Discharge Follow-Up Surveys Measure

Post-discharge follow-up surveys zero in on the critical days and weeks after a patient leaves your care. The focus? Transitional care—making sure patients can manage recovery and spot budding complications at home. These surveys can be delivered via SMS, email, or even automated phone calls, making it easy for patients to respond.

The real power here is early flagging of concerns that could spiral into costly readmissions or poor health outcomes. This proactive approach protects both the patient and your reputation.

Why & When to Use Post-Discharge Surveys

Deploy these surveys to:

• Prevent unnecessary readmissions by ensuring patients understand and follow their care plans

• Monitor recovery and offer personalized interventions if patients struggle

• Meet Joint Commission standards and assist with regulatory reporting

• Capture patient feedback 24–72 hours post-discharge and again at the 30-day check-in

This double-tap approach offers the chance to identify and resolve concerns before they escalate, keeping patients safely on track.

5 Sample Post-Discharge Survey Questions

1. Have you filled and begun taking your prescribed medications?

2. Do you understand the warning signs that require immediate medical attention?

3. How confident do you feel about managing your care plan at home?

4. Have you scheduled or attended your follow-up appointment?

5. Were there any barriers (transportation, cost, language) that made post-care instructions difficult to follow?

Implementing post-discharge follow-up surveys significantly reduces hospital readmission rates by identifying and addressing patient concerns early. Source

Telehealth Experience Surveys

What Telehealth Experience Surveys Measure

Telehealth experience surveys are all about virtual care, from live video consults to ongoing remote monitoring. With technology becoming a healthcare mainstay, these surveys help you ensure your digital bedside manner is up to par. Delivered right after virtual visits or as a recurring check-in for remote care programs, the feedback is fast and focused.

The essential element: closing the digital divide by understanding the good, the bad, and the glitchy in every virtual encounter. If the platform isn’t seamless, patient trust erodes faster than a Wi-Fi signal in a thunderstorm.

Why & When to Use Telehealth Experience Surveys

Use these surveys to:

• Optimize your digital workflow by fine-tuning video, audio, and appointment technology

• Troubleshoot recurring tech issues and drop-offs that frustrate patients

• Keep virtual care quality on par with in-person visits

• Roll out surveys immediately after each telehealth visit or on a set schedule for remote monitoring

Catching problems fast means providers can deliver care that feels attentive—no matter where the patient is.

5 Sample Telehealth Survey Questions

1. How easy was it to log into the virtual appointment?

2. Did audio and video quality allow clear communication with your provider?

3. Were your privacy and security concerns adequately addressed?

4. How satisfied were you with the provider’s attentiveness during the virtual visit?

5. Would you prefer telehealth for future similar appointments?

Employee Engagement & Safety Surveys in Healthcare Settings

What Employee Engagement & Safety Surveys Measure

Employee engagement and safety surveys focus on the people who make magic happen behind the scenes—your staff. These surveys unpack critical issues like burnout, morale, and workplace safety, providing an unfiltered look at what’s working and what’s not. Delivered anonymously by design (email, online portals, or paper), they turn whispers into actionable insights.

The key here is understanding how staff experience their work environment, because happier employees almost always lead to happier (and safer) patients.

Why & When to Use Employee Engagement & Safety Surveys

Deploy these surveys to:

• Boost staff morale and tackle the root causes of burnout and high turnover

• Improve your safety culture, which is tightly linked to better HCAHPS and patient outcomes

• Capture honest input by ensuring surveys are confidential and regular

• Send out every 6–12 months or after significant changes, such as new leadership, staffing models, or facility renovations

Regular pulse checks help you adapt your workplace and policies before minor frustrations snowball into staffing crises.

5 Sample Employee Survey Questions

1. Do you feel you have adequate resources to perform your job safely?

2. How supported do you feel by leadership regarding work-life balance?

3. Have you witnessed or experienced workplace violence in the past 12 months?

4. How comfortable are you reporting safety incidents without fear of retaliation?

5. What single change would most improve your daily workflow?

Higher employee engagement in healthcare settings is significantly associated with improved patient safety culture and outcomes. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

Preventive Care & Wellness Adoption Surveys

What Preventive Care & Wellness Surveys Measure

Preventive care and wellness adoption surveys are on a mission: catching health issues before they start. These surveys explore patients’ habits around screenings, vaccinations, and healthy behaviors, identifying barriers to wellness along the way. Delivered annually by email, SMS, or even in waiting rooms, they kickstart greater participation in prevention programs.

The vital takeaway: by finding out why people skip vaccines or screenings, you can tweak outreach and boost preventive care rates across the board.

Why & When to Use Preventive Care Surveys

Use these surveys to:

• Pinpoint the hurdles stopping people from attending wellness visits or community health events

• Tailor messaging and services to fit your population’s needs and beliefs

• Strengthen population-health initiatives and qualify for public health funding

• Launch before or during major community health campaigns—or simply as a yearly check-in

When you understand the “why” behind missed preventive care, you can bridge the gap between good intentions and healthy outcomes.

5 Sample Preventive Care Survey Questions

1. When was your last routine physical exam?

2. What factors most influence your decision to get vaccinated (cost, convenience, beliefs)?

3. Have you received recommended age-appropriate cancer screenings?

4. Would you participate in onsite fitness or nutrition programs if offered?

5. What prevents you from scheduling preventive appointments?

Healthcare Accessibility & Equity Surveys

What Healthcare Accessibility & Equity Surveys Measure

Healthcare accessibility and equity surveys ensure no one slips through the cracks. These surveys dig into social, economic, and cultural barriers that stand between patients and quality care. Whether distributed alongside community needs assessments or as quarterly pulse checks, these gather priceless stories from every corner of your service area.

At the core: uncovering what makes care “accessible” (or not) for each patient, so services can be reimagined for equity.

Why & When to Use Accessibility & Equity Surveys

Use these surveys to:

• Power your health equity strategy by identifying patterns of access and exclusion

• Uncover gaps for grant applications or federal reporting

• Calibrate outreach in diverse communities by tracking shifts over time

• Embed questions within broader community health surveys or run focused, quarterly studies in high-need populations

Responding to these insights with real-world changes can close care gaps for those facing the steepest hurdles.

5 Sample Accessibility Survey Questions

1. How far did you travel to reach our facility, and what transportation did you use?

2. Was language interpretation readily available during your visit?

3. Did cost concerns delay your decision to seek care?

4. Do clinic hours align with your work or caregiving responsibilities?

5. Have you ever avoided care due to discrimination or bias?

Chronic Disease Management Feedback Surveys

What Chronic Disease Management Surveys Measure

Chronic disease management survey questions focus on people who live with complex conditions day in and day out. These surveys provide a unique look at how well programs support self-management, medication adherence, shared decision-making, and overall well-being. Typically, they’re sent monthly or coordinated with important clinical milestones (like a follow-up after A1c checks).

The big benefit: direct lines to patients mean minor adherence issues or new obstacles can be caught—and solved—before they spiral into emergencies.

Why & When to Use Chronic Disease Feedback Surveys

Use these surveys to:

• Track program success and tweak care plans in real time

• Monitor medication adherence and daily self-management behaviors

• Judge quality-of-life improvements and areas for support

• Deploy on a set monthly cadence, after lab reviews, or whenever care adjustments are made

Surveying at these moments keeps your finger on the pulse of patient progress and empowers smarter, faster clinical responses.

5 Sample Chronic Disease Survey Questions

1. How confident are you in monitoring your condition daily (e.g., glucose levels, blood pressure)?

2. Have you missed any doses of your prescribed medications in the past week?

3. How would you rate your current quality of life related to your condition?

4. Do you feel your care team involves you in shared decision-making?

5. What obstacles make it difficult to follow your treatment plan?

Best Practices & Dos and Don’ts for Healthcare Survey Questions

Let’s pull it all together with best practices that let healthcare surveys make the leap from checkbox exercise to powerful change agent. Follow these evidence-backed guidelines, and watch your surveys transform from ho-hum to game-changing.

Optimal Question Design

Always use clear, neutral wording—it’s all about making each question easy to understand and answer. Avoid double-negatives, wordiness, and technical medical lingo wherever possible.

Neutrality is vital: skip leading language that might sway responses or alienate your patients and staff. It’s a survey, not a debate club!

Survey Length, Timing, and Channels

• Keep surveys short and sweet; aim for completion in under 5 minutes

• Send at the right moment (immediately post-visit, annually, or after key events) for the most accurate feedback

• Use multi-channel distribution: SMS, email, phone (IVR), or even in-app notifications

• Optimize for mobile, since that’s how most users engage

The goal? Maximum completion rates without annoying your audience.

Data Privacy, HIPAA, and Consent

It’s simple but essential: prioritize data privacy and HIPAA compliance in every step. Use secure platforms, collect only what’s needed, and clearly state survey confidentiality and consent information upfront.

Dos

• Pilot test all your survey templates before full launch

• Translate for cultural sensitivity and inclusivity

• Use easy-to-read facescales or ratings where appropriate

• Close the loop by acting on feedback and sharing improvements back with respondents

Don’ts

• Don’t use jargon or “doctor-speak”—keep it patient and staff-friendly

• Don’t ask double-barreled or ambiguous questions

• Don't force every question to be mandatory—flexibility earns more honest answers

• Don’t collect data you don’t need

Survey best practices are the not-so-secret sauce that keep your audience engaged and your feedback rock-solid.

Conclusion

Healthcare surveys are more than paperwork—they're a pathway to better care, stronger teams, and healthier communities. Using the right survey at the right time uncovers what really matters to patients and staff. By following best practices, you’re not just collecting answers; you’re closing the loop and creating meaningful change. Every question is a chance to improve. Ask boldly, and let the feedback guide the journey.