Serious Questions About Hospital Safety
One of my favorite pro-health care, pro-big business websites is Leapfrog.org, a national effort backed by the nation's largest employers to reduce waste in the health care system by improving patient safety.
The organization surveys hospitals nationwide based on a number of metrics which are proven to improve patient safety, thereby reducing health care costs.
To see, for example, how hospitals in Springfield, Illinois compare, click here.
Unfortunately, participation in the survey is voluntary, so consumers don't always have the information they need to make an informed decision when choosing their insurance program or making decisions about elective procedures. One wonders what some of the hospitals have to fear or hide, especially hospitals in Belleville, Decatur, Alton, Rock Island, and Joliet that have been such staunch proponents of giving blanket immunity to negligent doctors and hospitals for severe emotional damages.
While they haven't had the time or resources to provide vital patient safety information, they've had plenty of time and resources to make political contributions. Two hospitals in Decatur alone have made over $37,000 in contributions since 2001.
As Governor Blagojevich rethinks his "Illinois Covered" plan, he should think about making participation in a state-run program identical to Leapfrog mandatory.
2 comments:
Having run my zip code, I find that only half of all hospitals in the 200-mile radius participate, making your assessment of those particular hospitals' lack of participation virtually meaningless.
A wider search of Illinois found sporadic results. For example, you criticize Belleville and Alton hospitals, but Barnes Hospital doesn't participate, and it's the bedrock of medicine in St. Louis. Also, on your list to criticize, maybe you could add Stroger Hospital, they don't seem to participate. I wonder what Cook County has to hide?
What I find interesting is the membership at Leapfrog. All those mean, evil corporations that you are so quick to demonize are the sponsors of Leapfrog, helping to provide this information to the public.
Just looking at the membership list, you find great Illinois-based companies like Boeing, Caterpillar and Motorola.
Other companies listed include Aetna, Cisco, DaimlerChrysler, Dow, Eli Lilly, Fedex, GE, GM, IBM, Intel, Lockheed Martin, Lucent, 3M, Qwest, Toyota, and UPS.
It's great that you posted this so we could honor these great corporate and community partners for their participation in helping improve healthcare for all Illinois citizens!
All we heard from the media was that doctor were leaving Illinois because of law suits. Well, no one ever said it could be because they were all going to St. Louis Hospitals. Doctors and Hospitals need to be held accountable.
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