STEP 1: Learn about the care you need and your hospital choices Talk to your doctors or health care providers: Find out which hospitals they work with. Ask which hospitals they think give the best care for your condition (for example, have enough stang, coordinate care, promote medication safety, and prevent infection).
- STEP 1: Learn about the care you need and your hospital choices.
- STEP 2: Think about your personal and financial needs.
- STEP 3: Find and compare hospitals based on your condition and needs.
- STEP 4: Discuss your hospital options, and choose a hospital.
What makes a hospital a good hospital?
Hospitals provide good quality care when they give you the care and treatments known to get the best results for your condition. Getting quality hospital care may help with your recovery and help you avoid other problems. Not all hospitals provide the same quality of care.
How can I find out how good a hospital is?
Visit Hospital Compare at Medicare.gov/hospitalcompare for more information on hospital quality. Hospital Compare gives you a “snapshot” of how well hospitals in your area, and around the nation, care for patients. Use this information when you talk to your doctor or other health care provider about which hospital is best for you.
Can I choose where to be treated on the NHS?
As an NHS patient in England, choice of where to be treated is a legal right for most non-urgent treatment that requires referral. You can also request a particular consultant-led team.
How do I choose the right rehabilitation facility for me?
After an injury, trauma or medical procedure, finding the right rehabilitation facility for your specific needs is an important step in your recovery. It’s a good idea to know how its team plans to work with you while you’re there and how they can help transition you home.
How do patients choose a hospital?
For characteristics that may affect a patient's choice of hospital, we consider the distance of the patient from the hospital, the number of beds at the hospital and the number of car parking spaces available at the hospital, as well as several statistics publicly available on National Health Service (NHS) websites: an ...
How do I choose the right clinic?
How to choose a clinic - 10 stepsChoose a qualified specialist. ... Check for appropriate insurance. ... Visit the clinic first. ... Check whether a range of facial aesthetic treatments is on offer. ... Find out whether facial aesthetics treatments are offered regularly. ... Book a free consultation.More items...•
Why do patients choose certain hospitals?
Patients are looking for quality and convenience. So if your hospital has technology, services, or treatment options that allow you to deliver more comprehensive care, share this information in your marketing. It might be what leads a patient to choose your hospital over another provider.
How do you evaluate a hospital?
The principal methods of measuring hospital performance are regulatory inspection, public satisfaction surveys, third-party assessment, and statistical indicators, most of which have never been tested rigorously.
Can I change hospitals during treatment?
Can I change hospitals during treatment? Yes, if you have waited more than 18 weeks for non-urgent treatment to start you have a legal entitlement to change hospitals during treatment.
Can I ask to be referred to a different hospital?
You can ask to be referred to a different hospital if: you have to wait more than 18 weeks before starting treatment for a physical or mental health condition, if your treatment is not urgent. you have to wait more than 2 weeks before seeing a specialist for suspected cancer.
What are the quality indicators for hospitals?
5 Important Hospital Quality IndicatorsPQIs or Indicators for In-hospital Prevention Practices. PQIs are metrics that involve the use of hospital inpatient discharge data. ... IQIs or Indicators for Inpatient Quality of Care. ... Patient Safety Indicators. ... PQIs or Pediatric Quality Indicators. ... Rate of Readmissions.
What are the best three 3 quality performance indicators for hospitals?
The seven groupings of outcome measures CMS uses to calculate hospital quality are some of the most common in healthcare:#1: Mortality. ... #2: Safety of Care. ... #3: Readmissions. ... #4: Patient Experience. ... #5: Effectiveness of Care. ... #6: Timeliness of Care. ... #7: Efficient Use of Medical Imaging. ... #1: Data Transparency.More items...•
What are key performance indicators in hospitals?
A hospital key performance indicator (KPI) is a quantifiable measure that monitors the quality of healthcare provided by the hospital and measures the overall success of the business. Like many other service providers, hospitals depend on their customers (patients) to run their business.
Consider patient experience
It is always better to choose a multi-specialty hospital because in case of emergency you need not sit and search for separate hospitals. A simple Google search will reveal the hospitals in the city or your locality. Before selecting a hospital, go through the ratings and reviews of the hospital.
Safety and infrastructure
Once you are satisfied with ratings and reviews ponder upon the safety features and infrastructure of the hospital. Ensure that the hospital follows safety measures and cleanliness standards outlined by the Government. It also should have the right fire precaution measures.
Doctors and medical workers
The doctors are the pillars of any hospital. The hospital with the best team of expert doctors in different specializations always stands out among others. Before choosing a hospital, take a look into the specialization, qualification, and experience of the doctors working in the hospitals.
Amenities
If you are choosing a hospital out of the city or country, the surrounding of the hospital should have the necessary amenities to live in. Check the availability of hotels, food, and transport around the hospital. You can also check for residential options and guest houses or rented accommodations near the hospital for an easy commute.
Medical insurance claims
This is by far one of the most important factors that play a huge role in selecting the right hospital. See how well the hospital offers insurance coverage for the treatment. If they have a designated workflow with EMR & EHR Software for hospitals, the chance of faster claims is high.
Bottom line
Choosing a multi-specialty hospital will no longer be an intimidating task with the tips given. You can experience world-class treatment with the best hospital.
What if my hospital does poorly, or doesn't report at all?
If you’re unhappy with your hospital's performance, don’t be afraid to talk to hospital leadership. You can ask them what may have contributed to their rating and what they are doing to improve. You can also utilize the location tools on the Leapfrog Hospital Survey and the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade to find hospitals nearby that provide better care. You have the right to choose the best hospital for you and your family.
What else is important to know?
Safety isn't the whole picture. Leapfrog works with over 50 leading medical experts to identify safety, quality, and resource use measures that have a demonstrated impact on patient care . We then ask hospitals to report on those measures and showcase exactly what they're doing to improve.
How does leapfrog change healthcare?
Leapfrog is changing that. By publicly reporting critical safety and quality information, we can help you find the best care for you and your family. And by making transparency the norm in health care, we're helping hospitals achieve the best care possible for their patients.
What to do if you are concerned about a seriously ill parent?
If you're concerned about a seriously-ill parent or family member, look at ICU staffing protocols and how the hospital prevents injuries and dangerous infections.
Do hospitals have to be safe?
In short, no. In some hospitals, patient safety and high-quality are top priorities. Strong health care teams reduce infection rates, put checks in place to prevent mistakes, and ensure strong lines of communication between hospital staff, patients, and families. But some hospitals trail behind. In fact, medical errors are the third-leading cause of death in this country, surpassing the number of deaths caused by car accidents, breast cancer and HIV/AIDS.
Can you refuse care in an emergency?
Never refuse care in an emergency because of the hospital’s grade on the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade or performance on the Leapfrog Hospital Survey, but use the information as a guide for planned events and a research tool for potential emergencies.
Do hospitals report to leapfrog survey?
Nearly half of hospitals nationwide reported to the Leapfrog Hospital Survey. But there are still too many hospitals unwilling to provide patients and purchasers the information they need to make better health care decisions. If your local hospital does not report to the voluntary Leapfrog Hospital Survey, ask them why not.
What to ask for during a patient's care?
Ask if patients are assigned to social workers or case managers who can help coordinate at-home services or who can help verify insurance benefits and understand your billing and expense questions. If needed, ask who from the staff will be your point of contact to assist you for any followup care.
What is a fully developed treatment plan?
It’s common that fully developed treatment plans involve partnerships among a variety of medical professionals. Together, they make up the full team that will generate a specific treatment plan for you. For example, physicians and nurses may work together with physical, occupational, speech/language therapists, recreational therapists, psychologists or social workers. It often takes a team of many to administer the plan that works best for you to fully recover.
How many hours of therapy do you need to be in rehab?
Licensed rehabilitation facilities require that patients receive at least three hours of therapy daily, five days a week. If your recovery program requires care that’s outside of daytime hours or you need some type of medication or service at night, make sure you choose a facility that can accommodate those times.
What is the purpose of acute care nursing?
(The purpose of acute care is to improve health within a shorter amount of time to prevent more chronic conditions from developing. ) 4.
What is pet therapy?
Pet therapy or service-dog assistance during and after care.
What is the importance of a partnership with family and medical providers?
A partnership involving the patient, family and medical providers is crucial to maximizing every opportunity for recovery. Find out how involved family members are allowed to be and if they’re encouraged to observe therapy, participate in meetings and learn how to assist in caregiving.
Is it better to have an individual appointment or a group appointment?
Individual appointments may sometimes be preferable. They allow therapists to tailor a plan to meet your specific needs. Group settings on the other hand may offer encouragement, emotional support, connection and social opportunity.
