How do you choose a hospital? Many people just go to the one closest to their home, but taking just a few minutes to compare ratings can help you find the best hospital in your area for your needs. Whether you’re planning for a surgery or managing a chronic condition, understanding your options can help you receive the best possible care.
Did you know Medicare offers a free online tool to help you do just that? Care Compare allows you to compare hospitals based on quality, patient experience, and performance data. We’ll walk you through how to use it and what to look for when evaluating hospitals near you.
Step 1: Run a Search on Medicare’s Care Compare Tool
Visit Medicare.gov/care-compare and enter your ZIP code and city, or allow the website to use your device location. You can search for hospitals near your address, narrow to a particular type of hospital, or search for a specific hospital by name. The tool will then run the search and create a list of hospitals to review. You can click individual results to view details, or select up to three at once and click “Compare” to see a side-by-side comparison.
Step 2: Check the Hospital Star Ratings
One of the easiest ways to evaluate a hospital is by reviewing its star ratings. Medicare assigns an Overall Hospital Star Rating to each hospital that summarizes performance across several quality categories.
These ratings are based on factors such as:
- Safety of care
- Mortality rates
- Readmission rates
- Patient experience
- Timeliness and effectiveness of care
Hospitals receive a rating from 1 to 5 stars, with 5 stars indicating the highest quality performance. While star ratings shouldn’t be the only factor in your decision, they provide a quick snapshot of overall hospital quality.
Step 3: Review Patient Experience Surveys
Medicare also reports patient experience ratings based on surveys from people who have received care at the hospital, both inpatient and outpatient.
These scores measure things like:
- Communication with doctors and nurses
- Cleanliness and quietness of the hospital
- How well discharge instructions were explained
These insights can help you understand what the hospital experience may be like from a patient’s perspective.
Step 4: Compare Performance to National Averages
Another helpful feature of the Care Compare tool is the ability to see how hospitals perform in certain areas compared to national averages. Medicare tracks performance in areas such as “Timely and effective care” or “Complications and deaths” and more. When viewing details, look for facilities that consistently perform better than national and state averages. The higher the percentage listed, the better the performance.
Step 5: Consider Your Specific Condition
Some hospitals specialize in certain treatments or conditions. For example, a hospital that treats a large number of heart attack or joint replacement patients may have more experience and stronger outcomes in those areas. If you are managing a chronic condition or a specific risk factor, look for this in the hospital’s details. Your doctor can often help you determine which hospitals are most experienced with your specific medical needs.
Step 6: Confirm Insurance and Doctor Privileges
Even if a hospital receives excellent ratings, it’s important to confirm:
- The hospital accepts your insurance plan
- Your doctor has privileges at that hospital
Many doctors are affiliated with specific hospitals, and may prefer to admit a patient to a particular hospital depending on medical condition or procedure. This may influence your options for treatment. Discussing this with your physician ahead of time can help you avoid surprises.
A Note About Emergencies
If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, always go to the closest hospital immediately. In emergency situations, getting care quickly is the most important factor.
The Bottom Line
Comparing hospitals ahead of time can help you feel more confident about where you receive care. Medicare’s Care Compare tool makes it easy to review hospital quality, patient experiences, and performance data so you can make informed health care decisions. Taking a few minutes to research hospitals today may make a big difference when you need care tomorrow.
