About Us
The world expert in patient-centered care.
National Research Corporation (NRC), founded in 1981, is an organization dedicated to improving the quality of care provided in the healthcare industry.
In 2001, NRC acquired the Picker Institute and its world-class family of surveys. The Picker Institute and Harvard researchers are well-known for their extensive research of the patient experience within the healthcare industry. In fact, after seven years of researching over 8,000 patients and family members, we determined what was most important to patients and determined how to measure those aspects. These major findings resulted in the Eight Dimensions of Patient-Centered Care
While the industry’s most common tools focus on issues that providers believe drive satisfaction, the Picker approach addresses performance from the patient’s perspective. We understand that unless tools are designed to measure what matters most to patients and to provide data that can be used for effective improvement, the true value of an organization’s research efforts can be lost – and the patient experience will ultimately not be improved.
Therefore, our Picker surveys were designed using a technique of asking patients and families to objectively report on their care experiences, rather than merely asking for a subjective satisfaction rating. This allowed healthcare professionals to see for the first time how well they were delivering care on aspects most important to patients. It is this philosophy that is the foundation for today’s HCAHPS quality instrument.
By combining the strengths of National Research Corporation and the Picker Institute, our clients are assured that true measurement and improvement of the patient experience can be achieved.
NRC Picker upholds the tradition of the Picker Institute by continuing to incorporate this research into all of its tool offerings. With this philosophy, NRC Picker provides measurement solutions tailored to hospitals, clinics or home health agencies and partners with you to create a patient-centered focus in the care you provide to your patients.
We’re dedicated to understanding our clients’ needs.
NRC Picker’s executive team has a multitude of work experience in areas from psychology and business to sales and marketing. Our unique perspective provides clients with dedicated resources to improve the patient experience. We visit hundreds of clients each year to understand their needs and improve our product and service offerings.
