The 2007 Quality Report from HealthGrades.com was released yesterday and among other issues demonstrates the varying level of care provided at hospitals throughout the country. The study found that on average there is a 71% lower chance of a patient dying at the top-rated hospitals as compared to the lowest rated hospitals for comparable patient stays on a risk adjusted basis. This study highlights the need for the individual healthcare consumer to assess the quality of the health providers available to them in order to get the best possible healthcare.
"Since 2004, mortality rates among Medicare patients have steadily declined. However, consistent with other studies, this study demonstrates that considerable variation in hospital quality continues to persist at the national, regional and state levels. Therefore, it is important and valuable to provide information on hospital quality and outcomes to prospective patients making decisions about where to get their medical treatments."
Links: www.healthgrades.com, Full Study(pdf) & Press Release(pdf)
Ruthann Russo, PhD, JD, MPH, RHIT, is a healthcare expert with more than 20 years of experience working in and advising healthcare organizations.
