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TriHealth values quality – we can only achieve our mission of improving the health status of the people we serve if we deliver quality, compassionate care.
But, what is quality? Who decides what quality is? How are hospitals measured? How is that quality reported? Does every system report it in the same way? Many agencies publish information about a health system or hospital’s quality of care. Awards are given all the time related to quality. What does that mean for you as a health care consumer?
Quality Reporting is in infancy stage
While health systems have come a long way in reporting data, there is still a long way to go. Experts agree that an adequate comparison system is needed. But, before one can be put into place, evaluators need to reach a consensus on what areas to measure and how to make fair comparisons between hospitals of varying sizes, patient volumes and service offerings. This means that you as the consumer should be discerning when reviewing comparison data. For instance, consider that some organizations only report findings of hospitals that apply for inclusion as opposed to organizations that include all hospitals.
Bethesda North Hospital and Good Samaritan Hospital carefully analyze data on acute management of myocardial infarction (heart attack), congestive heart failure and pneumonia. But even with this careful analysis, health care is years away from a comprehensive measurement system that provides a fair and accurate comparison of hospital performance across all specialties.
What about awards?
There is often consumer confusion about the value of awards received by hospitals. Winning an award depends on how the awarding organization measures performance and where its emphasis is placed.
At TriHealth, the strategic focus is not on winning awards. However, the awards we have received help validate and celebrate our successes along the way. View awards >
In the meantime
Until health care gets to a point where quality is standardized enough to sift through, consumers can rely on some time-tested methods for selecting a high-quality medical facility.
- Talk with your physician about your decision.
- Find out what specialty care local hospitals provide for your particular condition.
- Check patient outcomes for specific diagnoses like heart attack, pneumonia, congestive heart failure and pregnancy through unbiased sources.
- Find out what hospitals in your area are accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).
- Research local Web sites and literature to learn which safety initiatives a hospital has in place to prevent medication and procedural errors.
- Examine the hospital’s community involvement.
Get community info >
- Ask friends, family members and hospital acquaintances about their hospital experiences.
Finding hospital quality data
Here a few resources to help you gather information about the quality of various hospitals.
United States Department of Health and Human Services -- Hospital Compare
Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations -- Quality Check
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