The Importance of NPS Surveys to Improve Hospital Care

Those who work in hospitals know that care involves much more than diagnosis and treatment.

Each interaction leaves an impression, and this perception often determines whether a patient will trust the institution again or seek another place the next time they need care. That is why understanding how they felt throughout their journey is so important.

In this regard, the Net Promoter Score survey or NPS survey simply and directly highlights what is working and what still needs to be adjusted in the experience of those who have been to the hospital.

What is an NPS Survey?

The Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a metric that measures the likelihood that a customer will recommend a service or company to others.

Created by Fred Reichheld in 2003, NPS is widely used across various sectors to assess user experience and guide strategic decisions.

In the hospital context, this evaluation helps to understand how patients perceive the care they receive, and which aspects still need improvement. Among its potential uses, a study published in the journal Ciência & Saúde Coletiva shows that NPS can also support broader analyses.

When responses are methodically analyzed, they help teams identify care patterns, review routines, and guide evidence-based changes.

This type of approach expands the usefulness of NPS, as hospitals begin using it not as an isolated number, but as a starting point for more consistent decisions regarding service quality.

What Are the Advantages of NPS Surveys for Hospitals?

Hospitals deal with delicate situations every day.

A patient’s perception of the care they receive directly influences their trust in the institution. In this context, hospital NPS becomes a valuable tool for viewing services through the eyes of those who experience them.

See below how the survey helps transform individual experiences into insights that guide decisions more closely aligned with reality:

Correcting Perceived Service Failures

What works well for the team is not always perceived the same way by the patient.

The NPS survey reveals when there is a disconnect between the intent behind the care and the patient’s actual experience.

When a hospital quickly identifies this kind of mismatch, it can adjust processes and behaviors before larger issues arise.

Ongoing Monitoring of the Patient Experience

By applying NPS continuously, hospitals can monitor patient perceptions over time.

This makes it possible to determine whether a recent change was well received or if a particular area maintains consistent care standards.

The analysis shifts from being one-off to offering a more complete picture of the scenario.

Support in Prioritizing Improvements

Not all feedback can be addressed with the same urgency. NPS data makes it possible to identify the main sources of dissatisfaction.

This kind of information helps the management team decide where to start, based on what has the most direct impact on patient experience.

How to Conduct an NPS Survey in Hospitals

Applying NPS in hospitals requires planning and alignment with the care routine.

The survey must be clear, accessible, and implemented at the right moment in the patient’s interaction.

Below are guidelines to help structure this process in a practical and objective way.

Define the Right Moment for the Survey

Choosing the right time to invite the patient to respond makes a difference in the results.

Many hospitals apply the survey immediately after discharge, while the experience is still fresh. For more sensitive care situations, it may be better to wait a few days to ensure a more balanced assessment.

The decision should consider the type of service and the hospital’s workflow.

Choose the Question and Format

The core question is usually: “On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend our hospital to a friend or family member?”

Next, an open-ended question may be included to understand the reason for the score. The survey can be sent by email, SMS, tablet, or integrated into the internal system.

Select the Right Tool

The selected tool must allow for data organization, segmentation by type of care, and report generation.

In institutions with higher volume, features such as automation, filtered data visualization, and alerts for low scores can make a difference.

The choice must consider the team’s ability to consistently monitor the results.

Analyze the Results Regularly

Once responses are collected, it is essential to maintain a regular analysis routine. Grouping the data by patient profile, type of care, or unit helps identify patterns.

This type of analysis shows what is working and what needs attention, based on the actual experiences of patients.

Share Insights with the Teams

The results must reach those providing care.

Showing the direct impact of the team’s actions on the patient’s perception strengthens engagement. When professionals follow the data, they can adjust their behavior with greater clarity and purpose, based on real situations.

How Can Hospitals Improve Their NPS?

When a hospital receives a low NPS score, the number alone does not show the way forward.

Improving results requires a careful analysis of what lies behind the patient’s experience. Below are three key areas that help transform patient perception at each stage of their journey.

Reduce Wait Times and Improve Communication

Waiting for care in a hospital is a common experience, but how it happens affects its impact.

When the wait is long and there is no information, discomfort increases. However, when the patient understands what is going on, their perception tends to be different—even if the overall wait time remains the same.

One of the most direct ways to improve NPS is to reduce wait times or, when that is not possible, to make the wait clearer and more welcoming.

Providing an estimated wait time, keeping patients informed, and ensuring an organized environment are all actions that directly influence how services are evaluated.

Identify Friction Points Throughout the Patient Journey

Perception of quality is not limited to clinical care.

Many patients base their evaluation on experiences prior to seeing a physician, such as scheduling an appointment or arriving at reception. Small points of friction along the way affect the final score, even if technical care was adequate.

Hospitals that analyze the full journey can identify where problems are concentrated. Once these points are found, the institution can make targeted adjustments that directly impact the patient’s perception.

Engage in Active Listening and Take Practical Action

Patients who give scores between 0 and 6 are indicating that something in their experience did not meet expectations. Ignoring these responses means missing an opportunity to understand what needs to be improved.

Hospitals should follow up with these patients, listen carefully to their accounts, and document the issues raised. Active listening requires the team to be prepared to handle criticism without becoming defensive.

The goal is to understand what happened, acknowledge the perception, and, when possible, provide a concrete response or action. This kind of follow-up shows the patient that their opinion prompted a real reaction—not just a numerical record.

NPS surveys help hospitals view care delivery more clearly. When applied methodically, they guide improvements that make a real difference to those who come through the institution. Want to learn how to deliver excellent patient care?

About Pixeon

Pixeon is the company with the largest software portfolio for the healthcare market.

Our solutions serve hospitals, clinics, laboratories, and diagnostic imaging centers, covering both management (HIS, CIS, RIS, and LIS) and diagnostic processes (PACS and Laboratory Interface), ensuring high performance and top-tier management in healthcare institutions.

The HIS/CIS software for hospitals and clinics, Pixeon Smart, is a complete solution that integrates the entire institution into a single system. It is also certified with the highest level of digital maturity by SBIS (Brazilian Society of Health Informatics).

We already have over 3,000 clients in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Colombia, serving millions of patients annually through our platforms.

Want to know if Pixeon’s technologies offer everything you’ve always wanted for your hospital or clinic?

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