{"id":18021,"date":"2013-02-22T10:42:14","date_gmt":"2013-02-22T17:42:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/idyllwildtowncrier.com\/?p=18021"},"modified":"2013-05-16T16:31:32","modified_gmt":"2013-05-16T23:31:32","slug":"todays-health-issues-how-to-choose-a-hospital-%e2%80%a6","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/idyllwildtowncrier.com\/2013\/02\/22\/todays-health-issues-how-to-choose-a-hospital-%e2%80%a6\/","title":{"rendered":"Today’s Health Issues: How to choose a hospital \u2026"},"content":{"rendered":"
Sooner or later we are all going to need to be admitted to a hospital. Most of the time the decision is made for us by our physician. Unless you are going to be admitted for a very minor procedure (very few \u201cminor\u201d procedures require hospital admission), I would suggest patients should investigate all available choices. <\/p>\n
Many criteria can be used to select a hospital.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s start with what those that should not be avoided. First, geographical considerations should not be taken into consideration under most cases. We take pleasure trips of many hours duration, to take a one- or two-hour trip to a more appropriate health care facility should not be considered a burden. <\/p>\n
Sadly for many of us, health insurance is a very important factor and limits our choices. Often we cannot consider out-of-network institutions because of the significant financial penalties. <\/p>\n
This is an area of active legislation in some states including California. However, under some extreme circumstances exceptions may be made. Always explore alternatives with your health insurance company. Most likely you will start your conversation with the consumers service center, but do not hesitate to ask for a supervisor\u2019s opinion. <\/p>\n
Very few medical centers excel in every specialty. The reason for the hospitalization should have a significant impact in your decision. Although the internet provides a wealth of information, it is also a fact that health providers and hospitals use it for advertising. You must use unbiased resources, and try to separate true patient surveys and data from hospital advertisements. <\/p>\n
Some basic criteria should be considered in your choice. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) is responsible for the accreditation of hospitals as well as long term care facilities. Relatively few long term care facilities have agreed to go through the scrutiny of JCAHO. On the other hand, most hospitals have. <\/p>\n
If a hospital does not participate in this process, it is usually for a good reason, and in most cases you do not want to be there. The Joint Commission\u2019s Annual Report on Quality and Safety is a good place to start. Their web site is www. joint commission.org and provides a wealth of information, including the Joint Commission Annual Report which names 620 Hospitals as \u2018Top Performers on Key Quality Measures\u2019 in 2012.<\/p>\n
Another excellent source is the Medicare program. Specifically, they provide an exhaustive list of parameters used to compare hospitals. The information is based on surveys conducted among patients. They can be found at www.medicare.gov\/hospitalcompare\/<\/p>\n
Another area with which to be concerned is medical errors. Under extreme conditions, these errors may lead to the death of the patient. <\/p>\n