Which hospital should I go to?
The nearest one. Maybe. This is what most people do. But would you keep going to the same mechanic who didn’t fix your car properly? No, exactly!
All hospitals have the same objectives, which are to heal and preserve the life of patients.
Yet, some hospitals may not have the means to effectively treat patients, especially during an emergency. These hospitals, usually the smaller local ones, often have fewer resources to affect care.
Specialist emergency care
If you are having a heart attack or stroke it is usually best to bypass your local hospitals, as they may not have specialist clot-busting treatments. You may need to ask the ambulance driver to take you to better place, that may be further. Ot get the yourself.
But if a patient has an elective (planned) surgery or procedure, there is enough time to choose the best available facility.
Using some simple criteria, patients can pick a hospital beforehand.
Why should you choose a hospital?
Patients should want to go to a facility with the highest success and lowest complication rates. But how can you do this? It’s not easy. There is limited online information in the UK about the quality of NHS hospitals, and almost no valid comparison tables etc.
But you should try. The first step is to research the hospitals in your area. Expand to surrounding towns, cities, and finally, the region. Some hospitals build a reputation for providing high-quality services. Others invest in the latest medical technology. Others have shorter waiting lists.
Narrow down the list, then look at these hospitals’ success rates. What are the operations, procedures or techniques that each excels at? What is the hospital’s treatment philosophy?
Use this data, along with past patient testimonials, to decide. Much of this will be anecdotal through asking friends and family locally.
Even though ease of travelling/parking etc is important, it’s not the most important thing. You can always get an Uber!
Aligning with your doctor
Patients often feel more comfortable with a local GP and hospital medical team who they know, and are aware of any preexisting conditions. But if you don’t get on with local people, find another doctor you get on better with.
And if you are not happy, your doctors can recommend alternatives that can provide similar care.
Safety and infection rates
After narrowing down the list, look at the hospital data. Hospitals report on some data points, including complication and mortality rates. Even if the complication and death stats are low, infection rates are another concern.
About 1 in 25 patients develop healthcare-associated infections. Surgical site infections, for instance, can cause more pain and prolong healing.
These statistics are based on averages, so some hospitals may have higher infection rates than others. Look for a facility that takes great care in reducing infections.
