Internet Case--Evaluating the Quality of Health Care. The U. Department of Health and Human Services maintains the Web site...

Internet Case--Evaluating the Quality of Health Care. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services maintains the Web site https://www.medicare.gov/hospitalcompare/search.html, which provides an array of measures that report on individual hospitals and other types of health care providers. Access the Web site for help in completing this case.

1. What is the purpose of the Hospital Compare site?
2. The site allows you to find a hospital and assess how it compares to state and/or federal statistics. There are several categories of measures including: general information; survey of patients' experiences; timely and effective care; readmissions, complications, and deaths; use of medical imaging; Medicare payment; and number of Medicare patients. Enter information to locate a hospital of interest to you. Once the hospital is located complete the following.
3. Compare and evaluate the survey of patients' experiences relative to state and federal statistics.
4. Compare and evaluate timely and effective care for emergency department care relative to state (if available) and federal statistics.
5. Compare and evaluate under readmission, complications, and deaths the 30-day outcome information relative to state (if available) and federal statistics.
6. Overall how would you rate the hospital you selected? Explain your rating.
7. Explain how such factors as patient mix, occupancy rate, average length of stay, payor mix (i.e., Medicare, Medicaid, third-party insurers, self-pay, and charity care), and the hospital's financial condition may affect the quality of care.