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It’s time for that hospital checkup, complete with risk-of-dying test

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Using Medicare discharge data, HealthGrades today offers up its annual analysis of healthcare quality at the nation’s hospitals. In assessing mortality and complication rates for 27 procedures and diagnoses, the ratings organization aims to help consumers choose wisely when selecting a hospital.

The announcement makes much of the fact that patients at highly rated hospitals have a 52% lower chance of dying while there, compared to patients in average hospitals.

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Other key findings:

‘Overall, in-hospital, risk-adjusted mortality at the nation’s hospitals improved, on average, 10.99% from 2006 through 2008.’

‘Across all orthopedic procedures in which complications were studied, there was a 79.69% lower chance of experiencing one or more in-hospital complications in a 5-star rated hospital compared to a 1-star rated hospital.’

Click here for the full report.

The portion of the report that pertains to California hospitals notes that the state is one of the top five showing the most improvement in critical care, heart failure, gastrointestinal care and pulmonary care.

And if you’re curious about the vast quality range available to you personally, pick a category -- bowel obstruction, heart attack, pneumonia and hip replacement, to name a few -- for a glimpse of the local continuum.

-- Tami Dennis

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