When it comes to choosing a hospital, most patients default to their doctors or surgeons’ preferences instead of intentionally making their own choice.
That can be foolhardy.
Hospitals are dangerous places. From infections that can’t be cured or beaten, to surgery mistakes, to drug errors and more, patients are at risk. Some are so problematic that Medicare refuses to pay for any treatment that becomes necessary due to, what it calls, these “never events.” Yet patients continue to get sicker and die during hospital stays, not from the reason they were admitted; rather, from some problem that developed during their stay.
Why shouldn’t we rely on our doctors or surgeons to choose the best hospital for us? Because each has agreements, called admitting privileges, with only one or two hospitals. They didn’t sign those contracts with patient safety in mind, and they don’t have the option of treating us in another hospital that may be safer.
One way we can protect ourselves is by doing some homework. Easily accessible resources can provide background on everything from a hospital’s safety record, to its focus on communications, even how well it keeps patients comfortable when they are in pain.
Perhaps you anticipate heart surgery, or may need a knee or hip replaced, or know you might be sick enough to need hospitalization soon. If so, determine which hospitals are safest first, then find names of doctors who have admitting privileges. Of course, you’ll still want to research the track records of those doctors as part of your due diligence, as well as your health plan allowing you to use the doctor and hospital you choose.
Even if you don’t expect to be hospitalized, it’s smart to know what your local hospitals’ strengths and weaknesses are. You never know when some event will trigger a trip to an emergency room. Unfortunately, emergencies often result in hospital admissions. So check out the possibilities right away.
Fancy TV commercials, glossy ads, and prestigious-sounding awards don’t provide us with the information we need about patient safety and experiences. The best resource for objective information that will help you choose a hospital is called Hospital Compare. Maintained by the US Department of Health and Human Services, it can be found at: http://www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov/. If you don’t use the Internet yourself, ask a friend or loved one to help, or go to your local library for assistance.
Checking up on hospitals before you actually need one will give you a head start on staying safe.
If you need help finding a hospital or doctor ReAssured Advocacy can help. Call us today at 303-756-8436.
Reprinted with permission from Trisha Torrey, Every Patient’s Advocate: www.EveryPatientsAdvocate.com
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