Consumers today have access to a lot of information regarding the safety and quality of hospitals. One of the crucial deciding factors for many patients is the rating of the hospital, as it determines the kind of care and treatment they are likely to receive. We bring you the key factors that go into the ratings you see in major hospital listings.1. Patient Experience – Based on various surveys and feedback, you can determine whether patients will recommend a particular hospital. You can also know their overall assessment, experience with nurses and doctors, communication with the staff, cleanliness, pain control measures, etc.
2. Patient Outcomes – Based on the data submitted by hospitals to the federal government or the state, there is information about how the hospitals prevented bloodstream or surgical-site infections, whether the patients needed to get readmitted within 30 days of discharge, if there was any hospital-acquired infection, etc.
3. Appropriate Practices – These include the use of electronic health records in the hospital and the right use of CT scans. You will know whether the hospital keeps its patient records up-to-date and you can also know if the hospital is sending patients for unnecessary scans that might expose them to radiation.
4. Safety Measures – These include a summary of the above points wherein the hospital takes extra precautions to ensure the safety of its patients – avoiding infections, prescribing the right medications, ensuring timely care, suggesting appropriate surgeries, etc.
When you look at an American hospital directory, you can find out the ratings of every hospital in your area and then make an informed decision about your health.
No comments:
Post a Comment