Choosing A Hospital

Issues To Consider  

The following are some issues you may want to consider when selecting a hospital. This is not intended to be an all inclusive list. It is only a starting point. Remember, it is important to get the most complete information you can.

Does the hospital offer the full range of services needed for the diagnosis and treatment of your illness (including emergency and follow up care) or does it only provide a limited range of services?

What is the hospital's expertise with particular procedures you may need? Elsewhere on our site, we provide information on the number of times individual hospitals have performed certain specific procedures. These include breast, colon, lung and stomach cancer surgery and cardiac surgery. If you click on our link to this Hospital Specific Volume Information you can see if it is available for a specific hospital in which you may be interested.   

Are the physicians on the hospital's medical staff certified in their respective medical specialties by the American Board of Medical Specialties?

Is the hospital accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations?

If a government agency or voluntary health organization with expertise in your illness accredits or designates hospitals specializing in your illness, has the hospital received such an accreditation or designation? For example, the National Cancer Institute designates certain facilities as cancer centers. 

Does the hospital conduct research into the cause and treatment of your illness and does it offer patients the opportunity to participate in relevant clinical trials?
 
What programs does the hospital have to improve patient safety and reduce medical errors? Has the hospital implemented computerized physician order entry and other programs to reduce medication errors?

If your state has prepared reports showing outcomes for procedures you need, what are the hospital's outcomes? For example, some states publish reports on cardiac surgery outcomes.

Does the hospital provide support services to assist you and your family in dealing with the emotional consequences of your illness?

What programs, including written materials, does the hospital have to educate you and your family on your illness (for example, medications you must take, treatment side effects, diet)? How easy is it to communicate with hospital staff?

Is the hospital in good financial condition with the resources to provide adequate equipment and staff (for example a sufficient number of registered nurses) at a clean, modern facility?

How do other patients who have been treated at the hospital evaluate it?

What is your primary care physician's relationship to the hospital?

How important to you is the geographic accessibility of the hospital?

Health Care Choices Main Page | Who We Are/Contact Us
Newsletter | Information About Health Care Providers
Insurance Information
Programs and Studies | Search