Arizona Hospital Ranking: Fair or Biased?
Nearly one-third of Arizona hospitals received low scores of one or two stars out of five in the federal government’s latest quality ratings. The ratings were predicated on data that the hospitals submitted to the federal government.
Best and Worst
7.6% out of the 3,724 hospitals in the country were rated one star, with hospitals in Arizona receiving that one-star rating. On the other hand, four Arizona hospitals were included in the 293 hospitals nationwide that were awarded a five-star rating.
Unfair Ratings
The hospital industry, though, laments that the star ratings demonstrate an unreasonable lag in data. Hospital officials have pointed out that the scores do nothing to make allowances for hospitals with a complex and sicker patient population. Also, the majority of the data used for the ratings is already more than a year old.
Much-Needed Transparency
On the other hand, patient safety experts say that the ratings provide much-needed transparency to consumers. There is, after all, nothing that stops hospitals from giving data for the surveys. The Hospital Compare list is the most up-to-date data out there, providing consumers with a way to identify which hospitals deliver quality patient care.
Changes to the Program
Federal officials do note that changes to the program must be undertaken. For instance, placing hospitals that are in the same category will yield more accurate ratings. That means teaching hospitals should be compared to other teaching hospitals rather than to all hospitals.
Ratings Don’t Reflect Strengths
Still, some complain that hospitals which earned a star or two may have strengths that the rankings have overlooked. For instance, one low rated hospital has been rated the best for its response to severe sepsis. That wasn’t reflected in the rating scores.
Hiring Needs
Staffing concerns remain a problem for many hospitals in the country and that could account for the low scores. With hospital administration jobs on the rise, firms that provide staffing solutions also have their hands full.
With vacancies for hospital administration jobs around the country, companies like Concentric Healthcare Staffing can provide much-needed help in resolving staffing problems and needs.
