Choosing A Hospital
Contents
How can you choose the best quality hospital
for the care you need? It is important to consider quality,
because research shows that some hospitals simply do a better
job than others. For example, we know that hospitals that do a
greater number of the same surgeries have better outcomes for
their patients.
Quick Check for Quality
Look for a hospital that:
●
Is accredited by the Joint Commission on
Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.
●
Is rated highly by State or consumer or
other groups.
●
Is one where your doctor has privileges,
if that is important to you.
●
Is covered by your health plan.
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Has experience with your condition.
●
Has had success with your condition.
●
Checks and works to improve its own
quality of care.
Choosing a Hospital
Worksheet
The following questions can help you make
the best choices. At the end you will be able to print out
your results summary for the hospital you are considering.
You may not have a choice right now because
of your health plan or doctor. But keep these questions in
mind for when you might make a change.
Does the hospital meet national quality
standards?
(_) Yes (_) No
Hospitals can choose to be surveyed by the
Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
(JCAHO) to make sure they meet certain quality standards. The
standards address the quality of staff and equipment, and—most
recently—the hospital's success in treating and curing
patients. If a hospital meets those standards, it becomes
accredited (gets a "seal of approval"). Reviews are done at
least every 3 years. Most hospitals participate in this
program.
The JCAHO prepares a performance report on
each hospital that it surveys. The report lists:
●
Accreditation status (six levels—from the
lowest, "Not Accredited," to the highest, "Accredited
●
with
Commendation").
●
Date of the survey.
●
Evaluation of the key areas reviewed
during the survey.
●
Results of any followup activity.
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Areas needing improvement.
●
Comparison with national results.
You can order JCAHO's performance reports
free of charge by calling 630-792-5800. Or, check the JCAHO's
Web site at
http://www.jcaho.org for a
hospital's performance report or for its accreditation status.
How does the hospital compare with others
in my area?
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One important way to learn about hospital
quality is to look at hospital report cards developed by
States and consumer groups. A recent study about such reports
found that besides helping consumers make informed choices,
they also encourage hospitals to improve their quality of
care. This is a very good reason to look for and use consumer
information about hospitals. Here are some ways to find such
information:
●
Some States—for example, Pennsylvania,
California, and Ohio—have laws that require hospitals to
●
report data on the quality of their care. The information is
then given to the public so consumers can
●
compare hospitals.
●
Some groups gather information on how
well hospitals perform and how satisfied their patients are.
An
●
example is the Cleveland Health Quality Choice Program,
which is made up of businesses, doctors,
●
and hospitals.
●
Consumer groups publish guides to hospitals and other
health care choices in various cities. Find out
●
what kind of information is available where you live
by calling your State department of health, health
●
care council, or hospital association. Also, ask your
doctor what he or she thinks about the hospital.
Does my doctor have privileges at the
hospital (is permitted to admit patients)?
(_) Yes (_) No
If not, you would need to be under the care
of another doctor while at the hospital.
Does my health plan cover care at the
hospital?
(_) Yes (_) No
If not, do you have another way to pay for
your care?
If going to a certain hospital is important
to you, keep that in mind when choosing a doctor and/or health
plan. In general, you will go to the hospital where your
doctor has "privileges."
Does the hospital have experience with my
condition?
(_) Yes (_) No
For example, "general" hospitals handle a
wide range of routine conditions, such as hernias and
pneumonia. "Specialty" hospitals have a lot of experience with
certain conditions (such as cancer) or certain groups (such as
children). You may be able to choose General Hospital "X" for
gallbladder surgery, Specialty Hospital "Y" if you need care
for a heart condition, and Specialty Hospital "Z" for your
children.
You also may want to find out if the
hospital has a special team of health professionals that works
with people with your condition or treatment.
Has the hospital had success with my
condition?
(_) Yes (_) No
Research shows that hospitals that do many
of the same types of procedures tend to have better success
with them. In other words, "practice makes perfect." Ask your
doctor or the hospital if there is information on:
●
How often the procedure is done there.
●
How often the doctor does the procedure.
●
The patient outcomes (how well the
patients do).
Also, some health departments and others
publish reports on "outcomes studies" about certain
procedures. These studies show, for example, how well patients
do after having heart bypass surgery. Such studies can help
you compare which hospitals and surgeons have had the most
success with a procedure.
How well does the hospital check and
improve on its own quality of care?
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More and more hospitals are trying to
improve the quality of their care. One way is to keep track of
patient outcomes for certain procedures. Another way is to
keep track of patient injuries and infections that occur in
the hospital. By finding out what works and what doesn't, the
hospital can improve the way it treats patients.
Ask the hospital quality management (or
assurance) department how it monitors and improves the
hospital's quality of care. Also, ask for any patient
satisfaction surveys the hospital has done. These will tell
you how other patients have rated the quality of their care.
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Sources of Additional
Information
A Patient's Bill of Rights
Available from the American Hospital Association. Free.
Telephone: (312) 422-3000
Web site: http://www.aha.org
(Click on Resource Center; go to Search at bottom of page;
type in Patient's Bill of Rights.)
Also available from Fax on Demand, at (312) 422-2020;
document number 471124.
All Hospitals Are Not Created Equal
Information and questions to ask to help you choose the
hospital that best suits your needs. Part of a series
published by Health Pages' online magazine.
Web site:
http://www.thehealthpages.com/articles/ar-hosps.html
Choosing a Hospital and Hospital Quality
Checklist
Online Web site offered by the Pacific Business Group on
Health.
Web site:
http://www.healthscope.org/Interface/hospitals/select_hospital.asp
healthfinder®
Provides a gateway to reliable consumer health information
from the Federal Government and other organizations.
Web site:
http://www.healthfinder.gov
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