Please note that this column first appeared in the Syracuse Post Standard 
on September 27, 2011
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In my last column I shared an open letter to our local hospitals which resulted from my review of their most recent “report cards.” These report cards score hospitals on their quality of service and safety records. Despite a few improvements, problems were exposed at all of them – problems that continue to put us patients in danger or simply make us miserable.
Think about that. Danger! Too many of us patients enter the hospital with an expectation that, whatever our medical problem is, it will be improved because we have been hospitalized. Instead we find ourselves the victims of deadly infections, drug errors, falls, surgical mistakes, even crimes.
And think about the second part. Misery! When we are at our most vulnerable, perhaps unable to walk on our own, or even stay conscious, we may be at the mercy of staff who ignore our complaints about everything from intense pain, to the need to use the bathroom.
The potential for even more danger and distress is growing, too. The numbers of hospitalized patients are growing as baby boomers age, and as healthcare reform provides more patients with access to healthcare. As time goes on, the ability of hospital personnel to keep us safe and relatively comfortable will be taxed even further.
So how can we patients ensure our own safety and comfort? We’ve previously looked at important safety precautions to take during a hospital stay. But the best approach is to begin with safety and satisfaction in mind. That means reviewing hospitals’ track records before we ever need hospitalization, and making our best choice based on what a hospital has already demonstrated it can do.
Which is why those report cards mentioned in my last column are important. They are tools we patients can use to help us choose the best hospital.
Let’s use them!
The latest New York Hospital Report Cards can be found at http://www.myhealthfinder.com/newyork11/ . Medicare’s website, http://www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov also offers information about hospital safety and satisfaction levels.
Finally, if you’ve been hospitalized, there’s something you can do to help future patients make hospital decisions. After a hospital stay, some patients are surveyed about the safety, communications and quality of their care. By answering and returning the survey, you’ll be contributing to hospital ratings of the future, and providing valuable feedback to help our local hospitals improve their service, too.
……………… 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
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Unfortunately, many patients are limited to the hospitals that in their insurance plan, or to the hospital where their doctor has privileges. But I do agree that most firt-time hospital patients are naive about the dangers that lurk in hospitals. They blindly trust that they’re in good hands.
Even though people sometimes have issues related to a hospital visit I think it is important to note that any hospital visit is better than not having a hospital visit. Especially when they are having emergency situations.
I think instead of saying how horrible hospitals are, it would be better to teach patients how to protect themselves. For instance, requesting the nurse/doctor wash their hands or ensuring their beds are clean and bathing regularly.