Technology, Quality, Accessibility: What to Look for in a Hospital
According to the most recent data provided by the American Hospital Association, there were 6,120 hospitals in operation in the United States in 2022, some public, some private, but all of them offering varying degrees of medical equipment, quality of care and specialized wards. With a variety this large, it is important to consider several factors when trying to determine which hospital would be best for a specific treatment or crucial emergency care. In this article, we will look at key attributes that, when grouped together, provide a clear indicator of a hospital’s quality.
Accessibility is key
One of the most important factors when deciding on a hospital is its location and accessibility. Emergency situations often require quick decisions, so narrowing down medical facilities by their geographical location and ease of access via car or public transport can be an important first step. Another key attribute to consider when looking at hospitals from the emergency angle is the efficiency of the corresponding department and its intensive care unit.
Next to accessibility and fast and competent decision-making in time-critical situations, having the right specialists at hand is crucial when medical issues do not necessarily require a rapid resolution but are rather part of a more complex treatment. Hospitals employing a variety of highly qualified personnel with various specialties indicate the expertise and diversity of a facility’s medical services, although it can also pay to look for a hospital focused on one specific area of treatment in some cases.
Hospital quality is also determined by aspects outside of the operating room
Well-trained specialists are only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to the quality of a hospital. High-level hygiene standards, which create safe environments for patients, staff and visitors alike, modern technologies and equipment, which ensure efficient diagnosis and treatment procedures, as well as the quality of care even aside from the treatment of the medical issue itself also play an important role in choosing the right hospital for your needs.
While patient testimonials, online reviews and recommendations can provide a first impression on the quality of care and treatment at a medical facility, it is also important to consult a variety of independent sources. For example, patients would not necessarily judge a hospital for its strong reputation in academic research and innovation, even though these factors can also contribute to the quality of medical services offered.
Employing a multi-faceted and fact-based approach
That is why talking to general practitioners, consulting healthcare organizations or accreditation bodies like the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and looking up recommendations by health insurance companies can all be useful steps to take in the decision-making process, as they help build an image as complete as possible of each hospital in question.
Finally, ratings from fact-based, unbiased platforms can be the final piece of the puzzle in the search for the right hospital for a specific need or emergency situation. To find the best hospitals that not only provide first-class care, research, and innovation, but also offer a consistently high quality, there is the “World’s Best Hospital Ranking” published by Newsweek and the global data company Statista. The full ranking can be accessed here. This ranking provides a data-based comparison of hospital reputations and performance between hospitals worldwide. Further information on this ranking can be found on the Statista rankings website here.
Key takeaways:
- Accessibility and quality of emergency care should be considered a priority when starting the search for a hospital
- Taking the time to factor in the quality of specialists employed at the facility, the standards of care and hygiene as well as modern and innovative equipment and technologies is crucial, especially in situations that are not time-critical
- Patient testimonials and recommendations only serve as one building block to determine the quality of a hospital. Collecting information from healthcare organizations, health insurance companies or general practitioners is equally important
- Rankings like Statista’s “World’s Best Hospital Ranking” created in collaboration with Newsweek can be the final piece of the puzzle when deciding on a medical facility. Find more information on this ranking here.
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World's Best Hospitals 2024
Based on an online survey of over 85,000 medical professionals, existing patient satisfaction data, hospital quality metrics and a PROMs implementation survey, 2,400 hospitals in 30 countries were awarded for the sixth time in cooperation with Newsweek.
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