Introduction
Finding hospital information is easier and convenient when using the Hospital Compare Website. It provides beneficial details explaining how hospitals perform compared to others in the state and nationally. It provides information on the quality of care for Medicare-certified facilities, including military hospitals and Veterans Administration medical centers. Data provided by the website can support patients when selecting the most appropriate hospitals to seek treatment (CMS, 2020). Moreover, the comparison encourages hospitals to improve the quality of care given to patients to remain relevant in the market. This paper evaluates the case of a 40-year-old patient and compares Orange Park with other hospitals in Jacksonville FL Florida and nationally.
Orange Park Hospital
Sources for Finding Facilities’ Public Information
Hospital Compare is a reliable source of information to individuals interested in finding data. The American Hospital Directory (AHD) is also reliable for sourcing public information of health facilities for issues such as the one affecting the 40-year-old female patient. AHD has a smaller database covering at least 7,000 hospitals in America. The directory enables the public to evaluate claims forwarded to Medicare, costs reported to hospitals, as well as utilized commercial licensors. Moreover, it supports searching for both national and state statistics. The Homeland Infrastructure Foundation-Level Data (HIFLD) offers beneficial and reliable information to the public (HIFLD Data Catalog, 2021). It is effective for patients looking for specific data to support the making of sound decisions. It also provides extra links to enhance mappings and apps that promote further research of detailed information.
A Measure from the Data Table and Its Impact on the Facility
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a measure that can help determine the issue affecting the patient since she complained of lower back pain. Although the measure was suggested, the machine was faulty and the patient had to wait for another appointment for the test to be taken. It is rare for the equipment to break down at the hospital implying that such scenarios are uncommon (Tonosu, 2017). The number of outpatients with a similar case who took the MRI before considering recommended treatment options was minimal. Moreover, the national and state figures were higher than other facilities meaning that it was an unusual occurrence. Limited hospitals in Florida state would propose the MRI test before trying other available options.
In conclusion, patients must search public information regarding a facility before their visitation to ensure the provision of quality health care. Although it may be impossible to research during emergencies, it is recommendable to understand more about deciding to seek treatment. Data available to the public is adequate to support patients when selecting appropriate hospitals. Moreover, comparing the facility ranking is important for the patient’s gain.
References
HIFLD Data Catalog. (2021). Homeland Infrastructure Foundation Level Data (HIFLD). HIFLD. Web.
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMS. (2020) Hospital Compare. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Web.
Tonosu, J., Oka, H., Higashikawa, A., Okazaki, H., Tanaka, S., & Matsudaira, K. (2017). The associations between magnetic resonance imaging findings and low back pain: A 10-year longitudinal analysis. PLoS One, 12(11), e0188057. Web.