Hospital web site archeology
When “googling” for hospital information we often wind up at hospital web sites.
Hospital web sites are marketing based so how does one find and aggregate key elements and then do comparative analysis?
You can use these web sites for this exercise, all hospitals I have been involved with
Jersey City Medical Center (I was President & CEO from 1989-2006) http://www.barnabashealth.org/Jersey-City-Medical-Center/About-Us.aspx
Mount Sinai Hospital (various positions at the medical school and medical center from 1979-1989, leaving as an SVP) http://www.mountsinai.org/?lastName=O
CarePoint Health/ Hoboken (I was on the Board of the Hoboken Municipal Hospital Authority for three years) https://www.carepointhealth.org/hoboken-university-medical-center#xDk1A
Meadowlands Hospital Medical Center (was part of LibertyHealth with Jersey City Medical Center) http://meadowlandshospital.org/
Ok, let’s get started:
Find ABOUT US. This is the picture painting how the hospital wants to be envisioned.
Find the MISSION STATEMENT, a formal summary of the aims and values of the hospital, as approved by the Board of Trustees and required for accreditation.
Compare ABOUT US and the MISSION STATEMENT. Are they clear and consistent?
Find ACCREDITATION. This gets trickier. A long list of certifications is not in of itself important. What is important is are they evidenced-based, completed by an arms-length review, and for a fixed period of time then must be renewed. You can google the agency and find the methodology used.
Find QUALITY. Again quality recognition awards should be evidenced-based, completed by an arms-length review, and for a fixed period of time then must be renewed. You can google the agency and find the methodology used.
Find AFFILIATIONS. A medical school affiliation is an excellent benchmark, however is it robust or ceremonial?
Go to LEADERSHIP/ BOARD OF TRUSTEES. Are Board member recognized community leaders?
And then go to
HOSPITAL COMPARE https://www.medicare.gov/hospitalcompare/search.html At this MEDICARE site you can compare hospital performance metrics.
THE LEAPFROG GROUP http://www.leapfroggroup.org/compare-hospitals an independent organization where you can compare hospital quality metrics
AGENCY FOR HEALTHCARE RESEARCH AND QUALITY http://archive.ahrq.gov/consumer/qnt/qnthosp.htm “How can you choose the best quality hospital for the care you need?”
AVOID for-profit “hospital quality” web sites which sell marketing packages to hospitals which pay to be surveyed!