How Does Your Hospital Compare?

We no longer have to choose a hospital based on anecdotal information from friends and family. More and more information about the quality and cost, of hospital care is becoming available every day. An excellent example is the Health and Human Services website, www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov. Using this tool you, your employee, or your client can identify hospitals that provide the best level of quality for the care needed. Below is one comparison of hospital services our area.

Why is this Important?
The heart is a muscle that gets oxygen through blood vessels. Sometimes blood clots can block these blood vessels, and the heart can’t get enough oxygen. This can cause a heart attack. Chewing an aspirin as soon as symptoms of a heart attack begin may help reduce the severity of the attack. This chart shows the percent of heart attack patients who were given (or took) aspirin within 24 hours of arrival at the hospital. Higher percentages are better.

There are other tools to use as well. The agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has important information on how to make your hospital choice. Learn more at http://www.ahrq.gov/