Overview

This may sound obvious, but the best time to choose a hospital is when you don't need one. That way you have the time to compare all the hospitals in your area and think about what your preferences are. You will want to consider what type of hospital you prefer, the hospital's reputation, and how well the hospital fits your needs.

Types of hospitals

There are many kinds of hospitals, large and small. Some are run by nonprofit organizations or charities. Some are public hospitals, which means they are funded by taxes. And some are run by corporations, whose investors get some of the profit. Three common types of hospitals include teaching, research, and specialized hospitals.

The hospital's reputation

Checking a hospital's reputation isn't as hard as you might think. For example, you can ask for your doctor's opinion. Or you can check with health and government agencies, such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), that rate or report on the quality of hospitals.

How well the hospital fits your needs

Aside from a hospital's reputation for quality and safety, here are some other things to consider when choosing a hospital.

• Can your doctor practice there?
• If you have insurance, is the hospital covered by your plan?
• How often is the type of treatment or surgery you're having done at that hospital? Hospitals that do certain surgeries or treatments more often are likely to have better success rates. Your surgeon should be able to help you get this information. Or you can call the hospital and ask for it.

The little things matter too. Comfort items can be especially important if you expect your hospital stay to be longer than a few days.

• Visit the hospital and ask for a tour. Call ahead and make an appointment for this.
• Ask to see a patient room or different types of patient rooms.
• Have a snack or a meal in the cafeteria. Chances are the same chefs are in charge of the patients' meals.

The hospital's location may matter to you too. Think about how far you will have to drive, especially if there will be follow-up visits. Will friends and family be able to visit easily?

Compare the visiting rules of the hospitals you're considering. Some hospitals are stricter about visiting hours than others. Will the hospital let a loved one stay in the room with you overnight?

What are the different types of hospitals?

There are many kinds of hospitals, large and small. Some are run by nonprofit organizations or charities. Some are public hospitals, which means they are funded by taxes. And some are run by corporations, whose investors get some of the profit.

Teaching hospitals

Hospitals that operate in partnership with medical schools are called teaching hospitals. In a teaching hospital, medical students, supervised by experienced doctors, improve their skills on patients, which some people might not like. But these hospitals also tend to have the newest treatments and equipment. And patients often benefit from the medical students, residents, and supervising doctors all working together to think about the best care.

Research hospitals

Some hospitals call themselves research hospitals. This means that many of the doctors who work there do scientific research in their fields of specialty and may even conduct clinical trials. Patients at this kind of hospital are often treated by doctors who are experts in their fields.

Specialized hospitals

A hospital may specialize in one type of patient. There are children's hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, cancer centers, and hospitals for the elderly, for example.

A trauma center is a hospital that is equipped to handle extremely serious types of injuries.

What services do hospitals provide?

Usually, the more beds a hospital has, the more services it provides. Most hospitals, for example, deliver babies. But not all hospitals have a special unit just for cancer patients or for patients with very bad burns.

Hospitals usually have a number of departments that treat patients, such as:

Emergency department.

This is where patients go (or are taken by ambulance) when they have serious problems and need immediate help.

Maternity.

This is where care happens during and after childbirth.

Intensive care or critical care.

Patients in this department usually have life-threatening problems and need constant monitoring. Some hospitals have a separate pediatrics intensive care unit for children.

Neonatal intensive care.

This department specializes in caring for newborn babies who are ill or were born prematurely.

Imaging.

You may see this department if you need an X-ray, an MRI, a CT scan, or an ultrasound test.

Surgery.

This department contains the hospital's operating rooms and, usually, recovery rooms.

Larger hospitals may also have separate departments for certain specialties. For example, a hospital may have a cardiology unit, where heart patients are treated, or a special unit for people recovering from joint replacement surgery.

For certain treatments or surgeries, it can be important to go to a hospital with a lot of experience in those areas. Find out if any of the hospitals you're considering specialize in treating your condition.

Checking a hospital's reputation

Checking a hospital's reputation isn't as hard as you might think.

• Ask for your doctor's opinion.
• Ask your carrier, if you have insurance.

  Many insurance companies keep quality indicator records for doctors and facilities in the area.

• Ask the hospital staff if they have patient surveys or internal quality check reports you can look at.
• Check with health and government agencies that rate or report on the quality of hospitals.

  Your state's board of medicine or your insurance company can help you find these agencies. You can also see if the hospital is listed on one of these Internet sites:

  • Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), www.medicare.gov/hospitalcompare
  • The Joint Commission, www.qualitycheck.org
  • The Leapfrog Group, www.leapfroggroup.org

What should you consider when choosing an emergency room?

In an emergency, it's usually best to go to the nearest emergency room (ER). But if there are several in your area, it's good to do some comparisons ahead of time.

Ask your doctor if some ERs have different medical equipment or services, such as a trauma center. Ask your doctor which ER they would take a family member to.