 | Colin Parry, RN, BSN, is a quality improvement coordinator at Wesley Medical Center. Along with other members of the quality improvement team, he works with hospital staff and physicians to constantly evaluate and improve the quality of patient care. His email address is Colin.Parry@wesleymc.com. |
Health & Medicine
2005-12-01 14:36:00
Internet for hospital comparisons
: What should I look for in choosing a hospital and where can I get objective information?
ANSWER: The Internet has opened up a whole new world for consumers. At the touch of a keyboard we can compare cars, vacations, colleges and even healthcare facilities. Several Web sites now offer ratings and comparisons of quality at various hospitals. Though information on these sites is limited, it can be useful.Two major sites that report hospital quality data are http://www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov/ and www.jcaho.org/quality+checkHospital Compare is a joint project of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Hospital Quality Alliance, a public-private collaboration of healthcare providers, employers, consumers, accrediting organizations and federal agencies. The site compares hospital quality "measures" related to treatment in four areas: heart attack, heart failure (sometimes called congestive heart failure), pneumonia, and prevention of infection in surgery patients. The measures include recommended practices such as giving aspirin to a heart attack patient upon arrival at the hospital or administering preventive antibiotics to patients before surgery. The JCAHO site is sponsored by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the primary accrediting body for hospitals. While the site reports similar criteria for heart attack, heart failure and pneumonia, it also rates performance related to JCAHO safety goals to prevent medical errors. These include steps to prevent surgery on the wrong leg, for example, by marking the correct leg while the patient is awake. Other safety measures focus on eliminating medication errors, preventing infections acquired in a health-care facility, verifying the accuracy of medical technology, and ensuring that physicians' orders are communicated correctly.Your health insurance provider may limit the hospitals you can use. But some providers, such as Medicare, have few hospital restrictions. When choosing a hospital, Internet research is a good starting point.But you should also talk to your primary care and specialty physicians, as well as former patients. The bottom line: don't be afraid to ask questions. You should look for a hospital that:• Is approved by your health insurance plan• Is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations• Has experience with your condition• Provides care in a broad range of services from routine to high risk• Has emergency services and operating rooms available at all hours• Checks and works to improve its own quality of care• Has patient representatives to help with patient concerns and social workers to help provide discharge planning• Is associated with a medical college that keeps up with the latest in care and technology.
