Most hospitals are non-profit but some are owned by for-profit companies. Hospitals may be independent institutions or members of a large hospital organization or health system. These larger organizations may be local or national. This information can usually be found on a hospital’s website.
All hospitals must be accredited by the federal government to assure patient quality and safety. Besides accreditation, the government and other organizations have imposed other quality standards and ratings on hospitals. These results are on public websites listed in this section. These ratings can be difficult to understand and controversial because they use different methods. However, these flaws may be solved in the next few years.
The best source of information is on the hospital website.
The term can have many meanings. Hospitals may use this term to describe their major programs. The term may also represent a credential earned through an evaluation by an outside organization, using objective quality measurements. It is useful to look for this difference.
Most hospitals have a “Find a Doctor” search function on their websites. The information lists the medical staff and their credentials, usually by name and/or specialty.
Many patients prefer a hospital close to home. For any treatment or procedure you should ask your local hospital and/or physician about their experience with your condition: numbers of patients treated, complications, success rate, etc. Most studies have shown that experience and quality go hand in hand. For complex conditions, your doctor may advise going to a hospital specializing in that area.