Nearest Best Hospital In The Country -- Marysville (Cincinnati, Kent: insurance, lawyers)

[CarpathianPeasant]

That man from Petoskey, Michigan, is not going to be happy here. Even Marysville is ranked below where he is now.

Consumer Reports ranks most dangerous, safest hospitals - CBS News

[TomJones123]

What?

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by TomJones123

What?

This is a rather discombobulated post. If the intent was to convey there is a high risk of inadequate care, even a risk of coming out worse than you went in, a more concise argument was needed. I do believe the hospital care in this country has become an administrative procedure rather than a medical process. The focus must be restored to the needs of the patient rather than the protect-our-ass procedures of the hospital.

At the same time, the ER rooms of many hospitals must be relieved of the minor conditions they must service so the true Emergencies can be addressed. The minor cases must be referred to neighborhood clinics, etc. and the admission personnel at the ER rooms must be given the training and authorization to state that. You do not belong at the ER of a hospital, you belong at a neighborhood clinic. Of course if they make the occasional slip-up and refer a serious case to a clinic that is why we have all the lawyers waiting in line.

[CarpathianPeasant]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

This is a rather discombobulated post. If the intent was to convey there is a high risk of inadequate care, even a risk of coming out worse than you went in, a more concise argument was needed. I do believe the hospital care in this country has become an administrative procedure rather than a medical process. The focus must be restored to the needs of the patient rather than the protect-our-ass procedures of the hospital.

At the same time, the ER rooms of many hospitals must be relieved of the minor conditions they must service so the true Emergencies can be addressed. The minor cases must be referred to neighborhood clinics, etc. and the admission personnel at the ER rooms must be given the training and authorization to state that. You do not belong at the ER of a hospital, you belong at a neighborhood clinic. Of course if they make the occasional slip-up and refer a serious case to a clinic that is why we have all the lawyers waiting in line.

That man from Michigan also posted in the Kentucky forum. It's been said that the biggest employer in Northern Kentucky is the hospitals.

I would not consider either Consumer Reports or CBS tabloid news. And, the report is not talking "emergency room." Did you read through the article even partly?

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by CarpathianPeasant

That man from Michigan also posted in the Kentucky forum. It's been said that the biggest employer in Northern Kentucky is the hospitals.

I would not consider either Consumer Reports or CBS tabloid news. And, the report is not talking "emergency room." Did you read through the article even partly?

At the same time, why do you suddenly want to endow Consumer Reports as being an qualified authority on hospital performance? Have they just decided their historical reports on consumer products pales in comparison to the health care industry? In other words, are they trying to recoup a lost audience?

Yes, I did attempt to read most of the article. In my opinion it is Tabloid Journalism in that Consumer Reports has no established expertise in this arena. They should have stuck to what they do best, reports on consumer products where at least they can claim to have conducted some tests. Their validity in this arena is more than subject to doubt.

My comments on ER procedures were not in direct response to this article, but just a general comment on hospital procedures. How many of you have had an occasion for a true visit to the ER recently? Did you feel the hospital staff was responsive to your need? Or where they bogged down by the sheer volume of patients in the ER, most of which should not habe been there? Not a life and death proposition, just a broken arm, sprained foot, or any number of ailments which could be treated on other than an Emergency Room situation. But see, if you have no medical insurance, etc. the ER rooms of hospitals are required to treat you. That is the whole reason why the ERs are overloaded.

[CarpathianPeasant]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

At the same time, why do you suddenly want to endow Consumer Reports as being an qualified authority on hospital performance? Have they just decided their historical reports on consumer products pales in comparison to the health care industry? In other words, are they trying to recoup a lost audience?

Yes, I did attempt to read most of the article. In my opinion it is Tabloid Journalism in that Consumer Reports has no established expertise in this arena. They should have stuck to what they do best, reports on consumer products where at least they can claim to have conducted some tests. Their validity in this arena is more than subject to doubt.

My comments on ER procedures were not in direct response to this article, but just a general comment on hospital procedures. How many of you have had an occasion for a true visit to the ER recently? Did you feel the hospital staff was responsive to your need? Or where they bogged down by the sheer volume of patients in the ER, most of which should not habe been there? Not a life and death proposition, just a broken arm, sprained foot, or any number of ailments which could be treated on other than an Emergency Room situation. But see, if you have no medical insurance, etc. the ER rooms of hospitals are required to treat you. That is the whole reason why the ERs are overloaded.

How interesting!

1. As near as I can tell, patients ARE consumers buying medical services. (Sometimes pills are included.)

2. As near as I can tell, the findings were qualified all over the place.

3. Some people don't need medical services except emergencies.

4. Postscript: I guess I should have used Forbes. If I find it again, I'll post it.

[TomJones123]

Ya, I'm with Brill on this one.

[CarpathianPeasant]

You can't fill a need or correct a problem until you admit it exists.

Amen.

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by CarpathianPeasant

You can't fill a need or correct a problem until you admit it exists.

Amen.

I totally agree a problem has to be recognized before it can be corrected. And I do believe there are several problems with how our hospital organizations are being run, the first beginning with a protect-our-ass approach rather than emphasis on patient care. I feel capable of commenting on this due to the amount of time I have spent in hospitals in recent years. When you reach my age it is just a given.

I just do not find Consumer Reports to be the vehicle to inform me on this topic, they have no established track record in this arena, they are out of their league. Sounds to me like their established business is shrinking like so many print media, so they need to take a new course to bolster their image. And lord knows healthcare is a major subject to deal with. But I prefer to hear from those engaged with the subject for years instead of someone last dealing with ratings of lawn mowers.

[Sarah Perry]

Connecting this topic to Cincinnati really seems like a stretch. That said, I'm sure Consumer Reports has the resources of staff and expertise to crunch statistical numbers about various industries, health care included. Personally given the risks of unexpected adverse events arising from hospitalization these days, I'll take any halfway solid information I can get.