Are Medical Rankings Reliable?

December 22, 2010

When we go under the knife for surgery, we place our lives in the hands of the doctor performing the operation and the hospital where it is taking place. We trust that we will be treated with care and that all precautions will be taken to keep us safe. However, sad it may be, some doctors and hospitals simply do a better job than others when it comes to protecting the safety of patients.

While there are surveys and rankings of hospitals to available to patients, keep in mind that they might not really be an accurate representation of the care you will receive. Dr. Atul Gawande, a Harvard surgeon, notes that these surveys may be based on information that does not directly correspond to proven data about procedures, instances of malpractice, safety concerns or other factors.

Much of the information used to compile those rankings is much more demographic in nature than informative, relying not only upon a facility's record of success, but also on where its physicians attended medical school. Further clarifying and referring to a study published by Archives of Internal Medicine, a U.S. News & World Report article states that -- unfortunately for the patients involved -- relying on information such as where the doctor graduated medical school, specialty board certifications and history of malpractice lawsuits will not predict whether or not a doctor follows "accepted standards of medical care."

Another issue that U.S. News & World Report has with many rankings is that they weigh reputation or patient satisfaction surveys into the final rankings. These tend to be subjective observations, not based on objective fact, so they do not actually provide any useful data with which to judge the physician or facility.

A Better Solution?

U.S. News & World Report notes that the United States government is working on making more information about hospital care available to the public. This information is reportedly going to be available through the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Hospital Compare tool. The Hospital Compare tool would make available information such as:
- Infection rates
- Surgical mistakes, including foreign objects left in the body
- Pressure ulcers (bedsores) received by not turning patients
- Accidental injuries suffered by patients, including those caused by falls
- Wrong blood type given during transfusions
- Signs of diabetes mismanagement

The information reported to be published by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services appears to provide patients with more reliable predictors of care, but until the Hospital Compare tool makes this information available patients will have to rely on other information when making decisions about where to seek treatment.

If you have been the victim of medical malpractice , consult with an attorney as soon as possible. An attorney will protect your rights and educate you about the possibility of pursuing compensation for your pain and suffering and the medical bills you incurred as a result.

Article provided by Derzon & Menard, S.C.
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