Flexible & scalable research services for the healthcare industry

CSS Research offers decades of experience in collecting and analyzing data for high-stakes uses - from pay for performance programs to public reporting to quality improvement.

We survey millions of people
per year

With years of experience and seven CAHPS survey certifications, we help healthcare organizations gain critical insights through targeted surveys that reach millions. Whether you're a health plan provider, hospital, or physician network, our surveys deliver the data you need to improve patient care, optimize provider performance, and strengthen your relationships with health insurers.

We offer tailored solutions—detailed reports, annotated data, and intuitive online portals—designed to help you make informed, impactful decisions. Partner with us for reliable, actionable results that align with your unique goals and elevate your healthcare services

Learn more about what we do

2.6M
Healthcare consumers
surveyed
3.5M
Paper surveys mailed
2.0M
Emails sent
1.2M
Consumers contacted
via CATI

Learn more about what we do

Tailored Pulse Surveys for Consumer Insights

CSS offers a variety of custom surveys that support payers and providers in keeping up with the health care consumer's experience. Each survey we do is unique to our client, offering actionable insights for improvement.

Dig Deep Into An Issue

Whether it's a measure related to your star rating or a unique population, your pulse survey can be adapted to go deep into a specific topic area.

Leverage the Pulse Survey Infrastructure

Once your pulse survey is up and running, you can leverage the existing survey infrastructure to broaden your reach - add a survey question or expand the population of inquiry.

Reporting Results

CSS's research team also tailors the way we report results - from fully customized online dashboards to database files formatted to import to your existing data infrastructure.

We're serious about security & compliance

Healthcare consumers expect their personal data to be handled with the highest level of care. At CSS, we work with leading healthcare organizations serving millions of members, prioritizing data security and confidentiality.

CSS's information security program is based on the HITRUST Common Security Framework. Additionally, CSS maintains HITRUST Risk-based 2-year (r2) Certification for our Health Research Performance Measurement Services and Web Portal systems, demonstrating our commitment to safeguarding sensitive information.

CSS is a recognized, award-winning leader in the healthcare field.

CSS has been awarded by organizations like the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Consumer Federation of America for our work in providing useful information to consumers. Our team of researchers includes senior staff with average tenure of nearly 15 years at CSS, and 20+ years of experience with CAHPS, member experience surveys, provider surveys, and other survey research work.

Meet the leadership team

Our History

CSS is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) founded in 1974. We work with research organizations, Federal agencies, health plans, healthcare providers, and State insurance exchanges to measure, report, and improve the experiences of healthcare consumers and patients.

Careers at CSS

CSS is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Want to discuss your needs with our team?

Our team is standing by to help you measure, report, and improve the experiences that your healthcare patients receive.

Our research team includes experts with an average of more than 20 years of experience in the fields of consumer issues, healthcare performance measurement, survey research, analysis, and IT solutions.