Illinois Hospitals: Report Cards In

 Posted on November 24,2015 in Personal Injury

People turn to places of care and comfort when they are most vulnerable. Expert medical attention, with an emphasis on care and renewed health, is crucial for sick patients.

All over the country, advances in medical treatments are sought out by those in poor health, and more so in emergency situations. Over 35 million patients were admitted to registered hospitals in 2014, according to the American Hospital Association. However, a systemic problem of substandard care is emerging within some hospitals in our area.

Rankings of area hospitals has just been released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Hospital Compare. After analyzing data from over five thousand hospitals, consumers are able to see where their hospital of choice stacks up.

If you have been treated at a hospital that has provided care less than proper standards, contact an Illinois personal injury attorney to assess the harm you suffered and if you have an actionable case.

Patient Surveys and Value-Based Purchasing

Enacted under the Affordable Care Act, “The Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program is a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) initiative that rewards acute-care hospitals with incentive payments for the quality of care they provide to people with Medicare.”

The results are based on exit poll patient surveys. Hospitals were judged on criteria rating their personal experience of the personal care they received.

Many hospitals can benefit from federal funding through the quality of care provided to Medicare and Medicaid patients. The program adjusts what CMS pays hospitals for inpatient services, depending on the quality of care.

Pay for Performance

In an effort to promote quality over quantity, it is hoped that these monetary incentives will improve care for consumers. Hospitals have been somewhat notorious for many major drawbacks in patient care such as:

• Negligent surgical procedures/labor and delivery;
• Virus outbreaks;
• Patient neglect and abuse;
• Medication errors; and
• Contamination/unclean premises.

Legal Assistance

If you or a loved one has received less than desirable care in a medical facility that resulted in harm, please contact a compassionate DuPage County personal injury attorney who can assist you in the legal process to obtain the compensation you deserve for your injuries. Attorneys located in any one of our 3 offices in Bloomingdale, Lombard, and Naperville can help. Call today for a complimentary consultation. Our attorneys have over 40 years of experience litigating hospital malpractice cases with honesty, integrity and compassion.

Sources:

http://aha.org/research/rc/stat-studies/fast-facts.shtml

http://patch.com/illinois/orlandpark/illinois-hospitals-rated-first-worst-where-does-your-hospital-rate?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

https://www.cms.gov/medicare/quality-initiatives-patient-assessment-instruments/hospital-value-based-purchasing/downloads/fy-2013-program-frequently-asked-questions-about-hospital-vbp-3-9-12.pdf