Please note that this column appeared in the Syracuse Post Standard on September 13, 2011. It addresses the recently issued New York State Hospital Report Card. You don’t need to be a resident of Central New York, or even New York State to gain benefit from this column. Resources for you are found below.
………………………….
Dear Central New York Hospitals:
It’s report card time. That time when we patients get the opportunity to learn whether or not you’ve improved your patient care and outcomes since last year.
I was hoping to find glowing reports. After all, you know exactly what will be measured and what needs to be done to earn the highest grades. No one’s expecting miracles; just safe and timely care, a clean environment, pain management and effective communications.
But did I find stellar reports? No.
Granted, the report card says I have less of a chance of catching pneumonia at St. Joes. And, Community General, congratulations on your infection rate which is lower than the average hospital in New York State. Both St. Elizabeth’s and Faxton in Utica are doing quite well avoiding Pulmonary Embolisms and Deep Vein Thromboses.
But those are only three high grades among almost four dozen measurements. My real concerns are for those that registered lower than statewide averages – so low that some patients are dying, acquiring infections, suffering pain, and leaving your facility in worse condition than when they were admitted. Each one of you earned the lowest possible score in at least three categories.
According to news reports, one official blamed bad scores on outdated statistics. Sorry – that’s no excuse! Your patients are human beings, not statistics. Perhaps their pain, debilitation or death took place a few years ago, but many of those patients are still in pain, still debilitated and yes, still dead today.
As you know, beginning next year, Medicare will take patient satisfaction survey scores into account when it comes to determining reimbursements. We patients don’t require much to score you highly on those surveys. We expect only the basics: communicate with us respectfully, prevent infections, avoid mistakes, keep us as pain-free as possible, and send us home with instructions we understand and can carry out.
Put another way: treat us the way you would treat your own loved ones. Provide for us what you would provide for them.
Such an approach is bound to land you in the top tier on next year’s report card.
Best regards,
Trisha Torrey
Every Patient’s Advocate
PS: Patients can find New York State hospital report cards by linking to http://www.myhealthfinder.com/newyork11/. Pay particular attention to patient safety and satisfaction measures. Then use those scores to choose where you want to be hospitalized. Your life may depend on it.
……………… ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ON THIS TOPIC ………………
More Hospital Report Cards (more states)
How to Choose the Best Hospital for You
A Patient’s Guide to Hospital Infections
How to Prevent Hospital Infections
……………………………………………………………………………………
Want More Patient Empowerment?
Find Hundreds of Articles at:
…and…
sign up for 2x per month newsletters of
Patient Empowerment Tips