How To Choose A Hospital

All hospitals are not the same.

You may not have a choice about what hospital to enter because of your insurance or because you want to use a particular doctor who in turn decides what hospital to use.

When you do have a choice about hospitals, the key is to choose the one that is best for your current needs rather than just because a hospital is close to your home or looks nice or modern or because a friend had a good experience there. It is advisable to consider the following steps, each of which are discussed in detail in the other sections of this article:

Step 1. Determine your needs.

Step 2. Decide what type of hospital is best for you.

Step 3. Identify the hospitals that provide the services you need.

Step 4. Consider the hospital's expertise with the particular procedures you may need 

Step 5. If there are accreditations for hospitals specializing in your condition, check to be sure the hospital is accredited.

Step 6. Look at the differences in quality among the hospitals you are considering.

Step 7. Check to determine whether the hospital fits your financial/insurance situation.

Step 8. Determine whether the hospital meet your practical needs.

NOTE:

• Do not take a hospital off your list just because it is a public hospital. Public hospitals can be very good choices. Many public hospitals have been recognized as centers of excellence in various areas of medicine. If the hospital is a teaching hospital, it will almost certainly be equipped with better doctors and equipment than even private hospitals. Teaching hospitals are also on top of the latest developments. 
• You may be able to travel to a distant cancer center for free. For information about free travel, click here.

Written with:
Herbert Spiers, Ph.D. New York, NY

Please share how this information is useful to you. 0 Comments