Participating Hospitals’ Data
About Quality Data
Reporting the quality of care outcome data is essential to participating hospitals’ plans to continue improving the quality and safety of the health care they provide. The goal is to provide accurate and valid information to consumers while increasing participating hospitals’ efforts to reduce differences in outcomes. Research has shown that, through public reporting, hospitals can improve the quality of care related to readmissions and reducing harm by approximately 15 percent.
There are 23 measures included for consumers to review quality of care. The measures are categorized into four areas: managing chronic disease maps, reducing readmission, preventing infection and reducing harm rates. The measures chosen represent the primary goal of quality care — do no harm. Infections, falls, and unnecessary hospitalizations or unplanned readmissions are areas hospitals always strive to improve. Visit here to learn more about the readmissions data included on this website.
About Pricing Data
Focus on Hospitals allows health care consumers to compare information about the most common inpatient medical procedures and emergency department services at participating hospitals. Hospital pricing and medical billing can be complicated. Users can find hospital charges for a variety of medical services, but most health care consumers will never pay these rates. Insurance companies, Medicare and Medicaid all pay hospitals at rates far below these charges. Those actual amounts vary from one case to the next.
About Community Investment Data
Hospitals make significant investments in their communities — the value they provide to their communities is much broader than the delivery of health care services. They provide a strong economic foundation through investments in employees, buildings and equipment. And, they provide benefits to their communities including charity care and absorbing bad debt, helping educate and train the health care workforce, and donating to local causes. The information on this site shows the investments hospitals make to improve the health of individuals and communities, and it underscores the importance of hospitals as an economic engine — locally, regionally and statewide.