Choosing a Hospital

On April 1, 2005, hospital quality data about three illnesses that are common among people with Medicare – heart attack, heart failure and pneumonia – was made available to the public on www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov or www.medicare.gov. This is part of Medicare’s ongoing initiative to improve the quality of health care nationwide. Under the Hospital Quality Initiative, hospitals voluntarily submit quality of care information so that consumers can compare care and make better-informed decisions.

Benefits of Using the Medicare Website

Hospital quality means patients get the right medicine, treatments, or tests at the right time for their condition. It is important to know that hospitals vary in terms of their quality of care, and that hospital quality is important.

Medicare provides a tool on www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov or www.medicare.gov under the heading "Compare Hospitals in Your Area" to give consumers information about the quality of care hospitals provide.