How can I find out if my hospital offers good care for my condition?

Answer:

Hospital Compare offers the consumer information on hospitals’ performance on measures of quality.  Some information is based on how well hospitals provided recommended and appropriate care to patients being treated for heart attack, heart failure and pneumonia, or who were receiving surgical care.  These types of measures are called process measures.  Another type of measure of the quality of care provided by a hospital is the outcome of that care.   Hospital Compare began posting Adjusted Death (Mortality) Rates associated with hospitalizations for heart attack and heart failure in June 2007

The Web site can be accessed by going directly to http://www.HospitalCompare.hhs.gov or using the link in the http://www.Medicare.gov Web site.  Once on the Hospital Compare site, users can find hospitals by:

1) proximity to a city or ZIP code; 

2) specific state or county; and 

3) name.   

After selecting the hospital or hospitals of interest, users can select the information about hospitals that they would like to see.

It is important to remember the information posted on this Web site should not be used as a decision making tool alone without consulting with your Doctor and your family regarding your medical care.

Last Updated: 6/2/2008