If you're planning to have surgery or know you may need future hospital care, visit Medicare.gov/care-compare to compare the quality of hospitals in your area.
⭐ Look at a hospital's overall and patient star ratings. The overall rating is based on how well a hospital performs across different areas of quality, like treating heart attacks or the safety of care. The patient survey star rating measures patients' experiences of their hospital care.
📊 Compare a hospital's performance against national averages for patient experiences, timely and effective care, complications, and more.
Understanding your choices will help you have a more informed discussion with your doctor and help you choose a hospital that's best for you. This is important as some hospitals have more experience taking care of patients with certain health conditions than others. Your doctor may also only have privileges at certain hospitals, so it's important to discuss your options.
Note: When you have a life-threatening emergency, always go to the closest hospital.