Other Helpful Listings

Accredited Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF)

Directory of outpatient surgery facilities accredited by the nonprofit American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery (AAAASF). Over 1100 facilities are reportedly listed, and include cosmetic and plastic surgery centers. Details are very limited. Search by state using the form boxes on the left of your screen

Accredited Healthcare Facilities - Joint Commission Accreditation (all states)  

The Joint Commission (formerly JCAHO - Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations) accredits hospitals and other healthcare organizations. Quality Check provides accreditation and comparison information for hospitals, home health/hospice, laboratories, some nursing homes & assisted living centers, and other health care services. Click on View Accreditation Quality Report to see actual scores for 2008-2009

AMA: 266 Clinical Performance Measures for Physicians, 2009 (pdf)  

The American Medical Association's Consortium for Performance Improvement has agreed on 266 measures in 42 clinical topics, that are supported by evidenced-based clinical guidelines. Topics include diabetes, asthma, COPD, heart care, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, stroke, pneumonia, emergency care, prenatal testing, cancer screening, smoking, prostate cancer care, ear and eye problems, depression, surgical infection prevention, GERD, end-stage renal disease, chronic kidney disease, substance abuse, wound care and more. Written for medical professionals, but consumers might learn something about appropriate physician care

Ambulatory Surgery Average Charges in U.S. Hospitals, 2007  

Find average prices (mean charge) for about 80 outpatient ambulatory surgery procedures done in hospitals in 2007 (excluding surgeon's or other physician fees.) Average colonoscopy & biopsy price was $2369; upper GI endoscopy $3131; cataract & lens was $4870; tonsillectomy $5286; knee cartilage $7357; hernia repair $8187; outpatient gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy) $10,838; breast biopsy $3863; lumpectomy $7458; ear tube surgery (myringotomy) $3547; D&C $6366; arthroscopy $8970; incontinence procedures $9929; vericose veins $8459; bunionectomy $7699; wrist fracture $7807; $4770 for circumcision. Consumers will need to adjust the 2007 prices to estimate 2010 facility costs; 2007 prices for many surgeries were up 25% to 41 percent over 2003 prices. Overall average was $6100, compared to nearly $40,000 for inpatient surgery. AHRQ Statistical Brief # 86 is based on 28 states (2/3 of US population) published February 2010

Ambulatory Surgery in U.S. Hospitals, 2003: HCUP Fact Book No. 9

Facts and figures on hospital outpatient surgery - volumes, average prices, gender, comparisons to inpatient surgery, more. Read sections online or download the 64-page PDF. Published January 2007.

America's 50 Best Hospitals list (Medicare) Feb. 2010 (pdf)

HealthGrades' choice for the top 50 hospitals in the US, based on clinical quality for Medicare patients from 2006 through 2008. They examined complication rates and survival rates for 26 diagnoses (such as heart failure, COPD, pneumonia, stroke, diabetes, pancreatitis, sepsis) or surgical procedures (such as hip or knee replacement, gall bladder removal, back surgery, bowel obstruction, prostatectomy, angioplasty, valve surgery, and heart bypass) and chose the highest-rated hospitals from their A50B analysis

American Hospital Directory - Outpatient Charges and Volumes (ahd.com)  

Charges and average costs for the 20 outpatient Ambulatory Payment Classifications (APCs) representing the highest Medicare outpatient payment to each hospital. List varies by hospital. May include: cost for colonoscopy, laparoscopy, CT, MRI, clinic and emergency (ER) visits, x-ray tests, upper GI, lower GI endoscopy, arthroscopy, cataract with lens, angiography, echocardiography, hernia repair, infusion therapy, nerve injection, outpatient cardiac catheterization, ultrasound. Scroll to bottom of the hospital page to Outpatient Utilization Statistics. Also shown: inpatient market share by local zip code; net income. Link is to the Free Hospital Information

Appendectomy (Removal of the Appendix) American College of Surgeons: Medem Medical Library

Describes symptoms of appendicitis, who most often gets it, how fast it develops, options for surgery. Short and informative, with drawings

Arkansas Average Inpatient Charges - Top 30 hospital stays (pdf)

Average charges (prices) per patient for the Top 30 hospitalizations (DRGs) in AR, such as newborn and maternity delivery, psychoses, rehabilitation, heart failure, pneumonia, COPD, digestive disorders, hip or knee replacement, chest pain, cardiac cath, diabetes, asthsma, stroke, hysterectomy (DRG 743), septicemia, Kidney failure, UTI, cellulitis and more. Overall, prices were $12,126 per case ($2737 per day) in 2007. For reference, a normal delivery for mother & baby cost $7873 (add $6466 for C-Section without complications); a 12.5-day rehabilitation stay cost $21,628; hip or knee replacement averaged $33,090 ($9166 per day); drug-eluting stent DRG 247 was $18,158 per day for $37,043 per case on average. Huge file; slow download. Summer 2009 report (page 22) by the Arkansas Hospital Association shows 2007 prices. Consumers may expect higher prices in 2009

Arkansas Hospital Volumes, Prices, Quality Ratings - by name of hospital

Find average charges (a proxy for average costs) for 40 common hospitalizations at specific AR hospitals by Clicking on INPATIENT PRICING after you've selected your hospital. Price List varies by hospital, but may include maternity and childbirth, stroke, chest pain, stomach disorders, back pain, nutritional problems (diabetes), blood infection (septicemia), rehabilitation, heart attack, cardiac cath, drug coated stent, congestive heart failure, kidney failure, urinary infection, COPD, pneumonia, total hip or knee replacement surgery, hysterectomy, psychiatric care, ventilator support and more. Note: Definitions conflict for whether data such as Volumes are Medicare-only, or reflect all patients. To find quality scores on heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia or surgical infections, and patient opinions, click on QUALITY at each hospital's page. Hospital Consumer Assist is provided by the Arkansas Hospital Association. Prices from 2007; Quality and Patient Satisfaction scores are more current, using 2009 ratings

Average Medicare Payments for Hospital Outpatient Services

Average 2007 Medicare costs for outpatient procedures commonly performed in hospitals, listed by county and state, as well as US overall average Medicare payment. Check file of 61 Procedures that include scope of colon (colonoscopy), or shoulder, upper stomach-intestine scope, bladder exam, scope removal of tumors, stents; removal of damaged skin; rotator cuff repair; breast biopsy, prostate needle biopsy, other biopsy with scope procedures; cataract removal & lens insert, and post-cataract laser surgery; hemodialysis access; injection of lower back; breaking up kidney stones, wrist fracture surgery, hernia repair, nerve block injections and more. File of 20 procedures has x-ray, cardiac cath, scans, carpal tunnel, gall bladder, hernia repair. Preventive services file has vaccines and immunizations. Three files could contain any procedure. Shows volume and Medicare payment, but not original charges. Knowing the CPT code might help you find the right procedure. Not at all user-friendly, Excel format, but covers every state. Oct. 2008

California - Average Costs for Inpatient Surgery, 2007

Compare median charges (price) among Calif. hospitals for 28 common elective inpatient surgeries such as assisted childbirth delivery, c-section, gastric bypass, gall bladder removal (open or laparoscopy), inpatient hernia repair, hysterectomy, mastectomy, hip or knee replacement, disc removal, prostatectomy TURP, heart valve, PTCA angioplasty, heart bypass CABG, endarterectomy, bladder tumor TURB, repair stress incontinence and kidney removal. Shows number of surgeries and average length of stay. All hospitals except Kaiser; website by CA state Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, (OSHPD.ca.gov). Easy to use, but would have been nice to have current prices instead of two years old. Published May 2009

California - Average Inpatient and Outpatient Hospital Prices, 2008(pdf)

Find average hospital prices for California's inpatient cases and top 25 types of outpatient procedures or surgery by CPT code) for each hospital. Outpatient reports may show prices for Emergency Dept. visit. Very difficult for the average consumer to use, since files are in Excel file format. But the good news is that the prices are current to June, 2008.

California: www.CalHospitalCompare.org - Hospital Quality Ratings & Patient Satisfaction  

CA hospital quality ratings for heart attack, heart failure, heart bypass surgery (including mortality/ survival rate), pneumonia, ICU mortality rate, preventing surgical infections & complications, maternity care (e.g. breast-feeding and c-sections), and patient opinion ratings. Most data from 2008 to 2009, but some date to 2003. Compare 5 hospitals at once to find Superior Hospitals. Consumers may be surprised at the number of times they see a Poor performance rating. When viewing hospital report, click on View All, or you'll miss half the information. Web site by the California HealthCare Foundation (CHCF) in partnership with UCSF and CHART

Canada - Ontario - 2007 Hospital Reports (Balanced Scorecard)

Ontario's Balanced Scorecard approach to reporting hospital performance ratings on a province-wide basis. Compare hospitals in teaching, small hospital, and community hospital groupings. About 40 measures are presented in four quadrants: Clinical Utilization and Outcomes, Patient Satisfaction, Financial Performance, and System Integration and Change. This innovative approach in public reporting may be similar to what some US hospitals use in their internal strategic planning. Developed by the Government of Ontario in partnership with the Ontario Hospital Association, Fiscal year 2005-06 data

Colorado 2008 Hospital Charges & Length of Stay (pdf)

Find 2008 average charges (prices), a likely range of costs, number of patients and average length of stay by CO hospital name, for 35 common inpatient medical conditions and surgical procedures. Shown by region, e.g. Denver area. At the end of each category (APR-DRG), statewide total averages are shown. You may read the pages free on online, but to be able to print any page, you may have to purchase the $250 report (322 pages). Published by the Colorado Hospital Association Aug. 2009

Colorado Hospital & Ambulatory Surgery Infection Rates 2010 (pdf)

CO Dept. of Public Health (CDPHE) reports patient infections acquired in hospitals (from Aug. 2007 to July 2009) and ambulatory surgery centers (7 mo. 2009). Nearly all medical facilities performed well this year compared to national average, on surgical site infections for heart bypass, hip replacement, knee replacement surgery, inpatient & outpatient hernia repair, catheter associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) in adult or neonatal ICU, critical care units & long-term acute care hospitals (LTACHs). A few (such as Exempla St Joseph Denver) were often superior, and a few were statistically worse. Hospital list starts on page 25 (of 109) in 2010 Annual Report, pub. Jan. 2010

Colorado Hospital Quality Ratings, Report Card

Colorado Hospital Association website shows hospital-specific data on mortality (survival rates) and volume. Mortality Measures show survival rate information for heart care (heart failure, PTCA angioplasty, heart attack AMI, or cardiac bypass CABG), pneumonia, stroke, neck artery surgery (CEA) hip replacement, hip fracture, bleeding stomach (GI), or craniotomy. Compare CO hospitals on Patient Safety bedsores (pressure sores/ decubitus ulcer), post-surgical blood clots (DVT, PE), and sepsis (bloodstream infections). Volumes for four procedures (cardiac bypass, PTCA, carotid endarterectomy, and AAA [abdominal aortic aneurysm]) where quality has been associated with higher volumes also shown, although the desired volume levels are not given. Risk-adjusted 2007 data, all patients

Connecticut - Hospital Quality Ratings

Use the left navigation bar to find CT hospital performance trends on individual measures related to heart attack (8 measures), heart failure (4), pneumonia (6) and surgical infection prevention (2). Website maintained by Connecticut Hospital Association. Note, the national Hospital Compare website may have more complete and current information about CT hospitals

CPT and ICD-9 CM Codes for Outpatient Surgical Procedures (pdf)

See pages 7 - 12 for procedure codes for outpatient colonoscopy, laparoscopy & laparoscopic surgery including hysteroscopy and cholycystectomy (gallbladder removal), breast biopsy & surgery such as reconstruction, hernia repair, liposuction, facial surgery such as blepharoplasty, and knee arthroscopy. Geared to people with coding or clinical knowledge. Updated January 2008 by Virginia Health Information (vhi.org)

Ear Tubes - What is Myringotomy Surgery?

Brief, consumer-friendly explanation of Ear Tubes, by the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS). Covers what ear tubes are, who needs them, outpatient surgical procedure, and what to expect after surgery. Complications are reportedly minimal. Link to find an ENT surgeon (Ear/ Nose/ Throat).

Find an Orthopedic Surgeon (Orthopaedist)

Find an orthopedic surgeon anywhere in the US. Easy-to-use and informative site, by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).

Florida - Average Charges for Inpatient Hospital Stays (Top 10 DRGs) (pdf)

Average charges (price) & Length of Stay for top 10 types of hospital stays, such as childbirth (vaginal delivery without complicating diagnoses was over $9400 plus normal newborn charges of about $2600) and Cesarean section; psychoses; chest pain, cardiac cath ($34k); joint replacement (e.g. hip and knee) surgery [average over $53,000], gastroenteritis & digestive disorders; cellulitis. While the top 10 averaged over $15,000 per case, the average charge when all of Florida's 2.6 million cases were examined was $34,000. Report by the FL Hospital Association; find 2008 data on page 3. Updated May 2009

Florida 2008 Reported Healthcare Incident Summaries

Aggregate summaries for Code 15 Adverse incidents in FL hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers and HMOs. Includes surgical procedure mistakes and deaths from medical injury. Code 15 reports are required for each serious patient injury as defined in state statute, within 15 days of when injury occurred. No facility names given. Feb. 2009

Florida Inpatient Hospital Ratings, Average Charges, Survival Rates, Readmissions  

Search feature, mortality (survival rates), complication rates, volume, and average charges (price range), 2007-2008 data. (We couldn't find the readmission rates.) All age groups (not just Medicare), extensive set of health conditions/diseases, and the ability to rank order by top hospitals at the head of the list. Click on the hospital name to see actual risk-adjusted mortality rates for heart attack, stroke, heart failure (CHF), GI hemorrhage, hip fracture, hip replacement, pneumonia, AAA repair, heart bypass, craniotomy, surgery to remove the pancreas, or esophageal resection. Compare hospitals on infections, iatrogenic pneumothorax, and post-op sepsis. Hysterectomy listed under Women's Health instead of Surgery. FloridaHealthFinder.gov

Florida Outpatient Surgery Prices & Visit Volume (2007 data)

Compare hospitals and ambulatory surgery volumes and range of charges (average cost is not shown) for common adult and pediatirc outpatient surgery procedures, by hospital or surgical center name. Includes arthroscopy, cataracts, laser eye procedures, cardiac catheterization, pacemaker, upper GI & lower GI endoscopy, colonoscopy, hernia repair, hysteroscopy, tonsil removal, lithotripsy, skin biopsy, bunion removal, pediatric circumcision and more. You might be surprised to find outpatient hernia repair prices ranged from $5880 to over $13,000 (ages 18 to 64, Level 1); Level 2 went to $16,507. FloridaHealthFinder.gov 2007 data

Georgia Hospital Price Check - Compare costs by name of hospital

Georgia Hospital Association shows GA hospital comparisons on Price (the closest available to average cost). Common hospital stays and surgery prices are listed similar to other pricepoint systems. An overall Quality Index is also provided for each hospital to help consumers make a value choice. Average charges from 2007

Health Topic Summaries: Cancer, Bypass, Hip, Knee, Pediatrics, COPD, more

A series of short summaries on common disease topics and health issues, made available by MHA, an association of Montana Health Care Providers from the COMPdata Monthly Monitors. Topics as of Nov 2007 included Cancer (general, prostate, breast, lung), heart bypass, and PCI, Pediatric care, Alzheimer's, Behavioral (mental) health, End of Life Care, Kidney Disease, Obesity, Hip and Knee Replacement Surgery, COPD, HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, Influenza, Traumatic Brain Injury, Asthma, Stroke and Diabetes. Summaries provide health information, and statistics about health care system utilization for that disease. Most use 2004 data, some have 2005 data. Consumers need not be from Montana to learn a lot about these health topics

HealthInsight: National Rankings for Hospitals (all states)  

Overall hospital rankings based on a summary of AMI (heart attack), heart failure, pneumonia disease and surgical infection prevention rankings, plus patient opinions. Health Insight, the QIO for Utah and Nevada, developed a helpful composite ranking for nearly every hospital in the nation, using 25 national CMS measures and satisfaction ratings from inpatients. Results shown by state. Easier to use than the federal HospitalCompare website, but less detail, and Mortality ratings do not appear to be included. Updated with 2008 data, September 2009

Hip Replacement Surgery (MedlinePlus)

Hip replacement surgery, implants, hip resurfacing, total hip joints, risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT)/blood clot, minimally invasive hip surgery; links to a dozen OR-Live videos

Hospital Compare - hospitalcompare.hhs.gov (all states) - Heart care, pneumonia, surgical infections  

Federal government compares hospital care ratings on measures for heart attack (AMI), heart failure, pneumonia and surgical infection prevention. Data include heart failure and heart attack mortality, also percent of heart attack patients given PCI (such as stent or balloon angioplasty) within 90 minutes of arrival. Shows patient satisfaction HCAHPS ratings. Readmission rates for Medicare (these illnesses only) added in 2009. Editor's Pick because the government standardized its ratings for all hospitals, and most ratings are based on more than just Medicare patients. Hospital participation is voluntary; small volume hospitals will not show data for some measures. 2008-2009 data. Hospitals may refer to these measures as the CMS measures. Updated 2010

Hospital Comparison Tool - Hospital Ratings & Cost Rankings (all states)  

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of New Mexico makes this Hospital Comparison Tool from HealthShare (WebMD) available to compare hospital care ANYWHERE in the country, mostly using Medicare data. No registration required. Gives results according to the importance you give to survival, complication rates, costs, volume and length of stay. Provides rankings, and crosses state lines when doing the search. Considerable detail on different types of complications if you keep delving deeper. Disease categories include Cancer, GI (e.g., appendectomy, colon or bowel surgery, gall bladder, hernia repair, gastric bypass), gynecology (e.g. hysterectomy), stroke (under head & neck), heart (e.g. attack, failure, angioplasty, cardiac bypass, catheterization, defibrillator, pacemaker, valve), lungs (e.g. pneumonia, COPD), medical, mother & baby (maternity, delivery for selected states only), orthopedic (e.g. hip or knee replacement), pediatric, prostatectomy, plastic/cosmetic surgery and heart, kidney, lung or liver transplants. Caution: it always assumes higher volume is preferred, which may not be valid. Patient satisfaction scores from the federal HospitalCompare tool shown, without disclosing dates.

Hospital Quality in US (Selected Conditions) 2009 Report

Accreditation agency Joint Commission (formerly JCAHO) Annual Report identifies the percentage of hospital patients that received recommended care on more than 30 measures of quality for heart attack, heart failure care, pneumonia, surgical care (infection prevention only) and children's asthma. In aggregate, 2008 hospital performance went up in nearly all conditions, compared to 2007 and earlier data. Lowest surgical infection performance ratings continue for colon surgery and vascular surgery; discharge instructions for heart failure get mediocre scores (83%). Published Jan. 2010. See HospitalCompare if you want hospital names and performance results

Hospital Ratings at HealthGrades (all states) 2010  

Hospital Ratings (5-star, 3-star, 1-star) for about 30 diseases & inpatient procedures: Stroke, back surgery, COPD, diabetes, gall bladder surgery (cholecystectomy), bowel obstruction, GI Bleed, hip fracture repair, total hip replacement, knee replacement, prostatectomy, respiratory failure, pneumonia, cardiac bypass, heart attack, heart failure, angioplasty/ stent, valve replacement, sepsis, pancreatitis, peripheral vascular bypass & more. Free information on survival rates or complication rates if you click on the GOLD CROSS at the left. Medicare-only data for most conditions, although some states provide maternity, appendectomy, and bariatric surgery (gastric bypass) data. More extensive list than the federal government's site. Free hospital ratings are easy to use and cover all states. BEWARE, the site will try to sell you other services ($17.95+) that you may not need if use the free listings at consumerhealthratings.com. Publicly-traded company. Most 2010 ratings use data from 2006 to 2008; some data may be older. To see all hospitals in a state, do NOT select city. AOL users should use another browser. Updated October 2009

Hysterectomy: What, Why, Recovery, Risks

Get the basics on hysterectomy surgery (uterus removal) from womenshealth.gov, and find out how common hysterectomies are. Links to information on endometriosis. Toll free number if you want more information: 1-800-994-9662 National Women's Health Information Center

Illinois Hospital and Ambulatory Surgery Center Ratings and Prices (IDPH)

Compare IL hospitals on heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, surgical infection prevention, knee arthroscopy, cardiac surgery, safety measures, infection rates, some survival information, patient satisfaction, more. See volume and 2008 median charges (closest you'll get to average cost) for selected types of inpatients (e.g. birth, c-section, appendectomy, COPD), and outpatients at ambulatory surgery centers (such as bunionectomy, hernia repair, colonoscopy, lens, lumpectomy, tonsillectomy). May get a full report for one hospital at a time (does not print correctly), or one measure at a time for multiple hospitals side-by-side, with state averages. Uses the dreaded pull-down menu, old 2008 prices and scores (Hospital Compare will have more recent information for some items); Infection rates use 2009 data. Hospital Report Card by IL Dept. of Public Health (IDPH) for all IL cities incl. Chicago area, Peoria, Rockford, Springfield, Champaign. New Nov. 2009

Illinois Hospital Ratings - free (IHA)

Compare up to 3 IL hospitals at a time for patient satisfaction, heart care, pneumonia, surgical infection prevention, readmission rates, some volume-sensitive conditions, and average length of stay for just about as many types of hospitalization that you might think of. Most reports show 2008-2009 data. Can focus by city such as Chicago or Rockford. From the Illinois Hospital Association

Indiana Ambulatory Surgical Center Consumer Reports

IN State Dept. of Health (ISDH) reports of accreditation status, survey inspection findings, deficiencies and complaints for outpatient surgery centers

Indiana Hospital & Ambulatory Surgery Center Medical Errors 2008

Indiana Medical Error Reporting System final report for 2008 summarizes 105 reportable events in hospitals and outpatient surgery centers in 2008. Adverse Events such as leaving a foreign object inside a patient after surgery, operating on the wrong body part. or Stage 3 or 4 pressure ulcers (bedsores) acquired after admission, are based on NQF's list of 27 serious, largely preventable adverse events. List of events by facility name is a separate 301-page pdf file called Data Tables. Market share data included. Published by IN State Dept. of Health (ISDH, in.gov) August 2009

Iowa Hospital PricePoint System - Inpatient Charges

Iowa Hospital PricePoint provides information about volumes and average 2008 charges (amount billed) at IA hospitals. Select one hospital to begin. Site allows 4 hospitals to be compared at one time (although we couldn't make this work) for charges, length of stay, number of cases and more. Provided by the Iowa Hospital Association, this is a starting point for comparing average cost of care between Iowa hospitals. Compare typical prices for surgery such as gall bladder removal, bowel surgery, knee joint replacement; childbirth and newborns, pneumonia, stroke, heart care, transplants, COPD, psych, rehab, and most medical conditions. Severity of illness can be specified. Consumers will need to inflate old prices to estimate current charges

Iowa Hospital Quality, Safety and Satisfaction Ratings 2009  

Compare Iowa hospitals on heart care, pneumonia, readmissions, patient safety (including deaths of patients who were unlikely to die during hospitalization in [low-mortality DRGs]); surgical care, including survival rates (mortality info) for hip replacement surgery; infection prevention and more. Patient satisfaction recommendations and ratings also shown. Interactive report only; must be familiar with drop-down menus. Use the Table of Contents to find which measures show hospital names, rather than state averages. 2009 Iowa Report by the Iowa Healthcare Collaborative (based in Des Moines, IA) uses 2007 and 2008 data

Kentucky Hospital Ratings - free (KHA)

Compare KY hospitals side-by-side on inpatient quality for survival rates (mortality) for heart bypass (CABG), heart attack, heart failure, stroke, GI hemorrhage, hip fracture, pneumonia, angioplasty, and brain surgery. Also compare hospital rates on safety, such as hospital-acquired infections, unexpected deaths (e.g. failure to rescue), postoperative sepsis, surgical complications. Some info on births, c-sections, and more. Kentucky Hospital Association data for 2007-2008

Knee Replacement Surgery (MedlinePlus)

Topics: total knee replacement surgery, joint replacement (arthroplasty), revision surgery, rehabilitation exercises, and more. Many videos on minimally invasive surgery. We like MedlinePlus so much better than WebMD. It's a service of our National Library of Medicine (NLM) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Leapfrog - Minimum Volume Recommendations (Evidence-based Hospital Referral pdf)  

The Leapfrog Group has Evidence-Based Hospital Referral Safety Standards that include recommended volumes for certain procedures. They include minimum annual hospital volumes as follows: 450 heart bypass procedures per year (CABG), 400 Percutaneous coronary intervention procedures (PCI angioplasty), 120 aortic valve replacement, 50 abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (AAA), 11 pancreatic resections, 13 esophagectomy per hospital, and an average daily census of at least 15 babies in neonatal intensive care (NICU). Bariatric (weight loss) surgery has a recommended hospital volume above 125 and more than 50 cases per surgeon annually. Read about the specifics in this two-page fact sheet, then go to the Hospital Quality Ratings category, and check the Leapfrog data for information on your local hospitals. Updated 2008

Leapfrog Hospital Quality Ratings - For Consumers (all states)  

The Leapfrog Group, an employer-based coalition, asks hospitals to voluntarily report how closely they follow recommended quality and safety practices, including Evidence-Based Hospital Referral for high-risk procedures (volume standards), ICU staffing using intensivists, progress on 29 Safe Practices and other steps to prevent mistakes and injuries. CLICK on the green [i] to the right of each green bar chart to find out if your hospital meets survival expectations and volume standards of 450 CABG procedures, or 400 for angioplasty, or 120 for aortic valve replacement; 50 for AAA, or 11 for pancreatic resection, or 13 for esophagectomy; 50 High-Risk Delivery-Neonatal ICU patients per year, 125+ weight loss surgery cases/yr. Info on pneumonia, heart attack and normal deliveries also reported. Many hospitals participate; easy to compare. Updated for 2009, but period covered is unclear. Leapfrog was a pioneer in getting ratings in the public eye

Louisiana Hospital Ratings and Prices - LA Hospital Inform

Search by Parish. Must click on View Reports on the left side of page to see LA hospital-specific selected inpatient charges (e.g. child birth, C-section, hip or knee surgery, gall bladder removal, appendectomy, heart problems, stent, cardiac cath, stomach problems, stroke, kidney failure, COPD, pneumonia, more); outpatient Medicare prices include ER visits, heart tests such as cardiac cath, EKG, stress test, echo; CT scan, MRI, x-ray and ultrasound, GI endoscopy, mammography, more; Quality scores similar to those submitted to HospitalCompare. Louisiana Hospital Inform is sponsored by the Louisiana Hospital Association; Prices from 2006 (outpatient) and 2008 (inpatient)

Maine - Average Inpatient Charge for Common Hospital Stays (2006)

Average inpatient hospital costs (charges) in Maine in 2006 averaged $4701 for Childbirth delivery plus $1641 for the newborn. Add $5238 for an uncomplicated C-Section. COPD, pneumonia and heart failure cases ran $11,000-12,000 per case. Typical charges for hip or knee joint replacement were $27,543 and hysterectomy (DRG 359) was $10,618. Find average prices here for GI disorders, chest pain, psychoses, alcohol/ drug rehab, chest pain, stroke (DRG 14) and septicemia. From the State of Maine. Physician fees not included. No updates for 2009

Maine - Outpatient Surgery & Procedures Prices, 2007

The most common type of colonoscopy in Maine (2007 prices for CPT code 45378) cost $1176. Unclear what the total charges would be, with both facility and physician fees. Cataract prices averaged $2264; most common Upper GI endoscopy was $1134 (CPT 43235). Knee arthroscopy average cost was $2409; Laparoscopic gall bladder removal was $3531 in 2007; Hernia repair was $3102; Hysteroscopy cost $2452; Carpal tunnel release was $1952; Ear tubes were $1185. Additional procedure prices (average cost) listed by CPT code are at this site by HealthWeb of Maine. Consumers must inquire as to what both facility charges and doctors' professional fees would be for 2009 and 2010

Maine Charges for Surgery, x-ray, imaging tests (MHDO)

Maine Health Data Organization's HealthCost website shows average charges (prices) and actual average payments for surgery such as knee arthroscopy, tonsillectomy, gall bladder removal, hernia repair, breast biopsy, carpal tunnel, kidney stones, total hip replacement; tests such as colonoscopy, mammogram, x-ray, CT, MRI, ultrasound. Good news is that both physician and hospital charges are shown to give you an idea of total cost (and discounts); CPT codes also shown. Bad news: prices date from 2005-2007, or nearly 3 years old. From maine.gov

Maine Doctor and Hospital Ratings, 2009  

Site by the Maine Health Management Coalition, a non-profit coalition of 60+ employers that includes health insurance companies, doctors, hospitals and employers such as Bath Iron Works, City of Portland, State employees, Bowdoin College. Compare doctor & clinic ratings (family medicine, internal medicine and pediatrics) relative to using office systems, following clinical care guidelines, and measuring results of care for diabetes, heart disease and childhood asthma and immunizations. Sort by Ribbons puts the best performers at the top of the list. Hospital ratings include medication safety, the often-seen ratings for heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia care and surgical infection prevention; patient satisfaction (HCAHPS) and easy to read Leapfrog results for major high-risk surgery. Physician data from 2007-2008. Editor's Pick for the Doctor Ratings. Updated 2009

Maryland Hospital Pricing Guide, May 2009 (pdf)

Average charges (prices) and volumes statewide and by MD hospital name for 15 most common inpatient diagnoses (severity adjusted using APR-DRGs) - including newborns (avg. $1621), childbirth vaginal delivery ($5263), c-section (avg. $7393), heart failure, chest pain, angina, cardiac arrhythmia, percutaneous cardiovascular procedures (PTCA), pneumonia, COPD ($7434), septicemia, cellulitis, knee joint replacement (up 10% to avg. $21,565), bipolar admissions ($7761 state avg.) and urinary tract infections. Data from 2007 - 2008. Not included: costs for cancer, stroke, hysterectomy, rehabilitation, digestive problems. By MD Health Care Commission MHCC May 2009

Maryland Hospital Quality Ratings (MHCC)

Readmission Rates, volume, and average length of stay data on the most common groups of illnesses or conditions for which people are hospitalized in Maryland. Topics include heart conditions, lung conditions (including pneumonia, COPD, bronchitis, asthma), hip and knee surgery, GI and digestive problems, septicemia, stroke and TIA, kidney failure, bowel procedures, diabetes, maternity and newborn care, seizures & headaches, and more. MD Hospital Performance Evaluation Guide shows 2006 or 2008 data, pub. by MD Health Care Commission

Massachusetts Hospital Quality, Cost, Surgeon Volume Information (mass.gov)

Massachusetts Health and Human Services department reports quality ratings, cost comparisons, volume and in some cases inpatient survival rates (mortality indicators). Nearly 50 conditions and procedures covered, including inpatient gall bladder removal surgery, hip fracture, hip and knee replacement, stroke, GI hemorrhage, heart attack, heart failure, CABG, PCI, Pneumonia, Obstetrics and Maternity care, including cesarean section and VBAC, prostatectomy, gastric bypass and other digestive procedures, AAA repair and carotid endarterectomy. In some cases, individual surgeons are named (e.g. physicians who did at least 40 radical prostatectomy operations in a year, or how many knee replacements by orthopedic surgeons) Uses FY2005 volumes and FY2004 cost data. Site is relatively user-friendly, but is becoming outdated. Information varies by procedure. Read closely to see if it's Medicare-only or all types of patients

Massachusetts Surgeon Volumes by Procedure (mass.gov)

Massachusetts Health and Human Services office shows how many times a physician has done a specific surgical procedure for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair, open or laparoscopic gastric bypass, lap banding, carotid endarterectomy, isolated CABG, PCI angioplasty, total hip or knee replacement or revision (e.g. number of operations done by each MA orthopedic surgeon), esophagectomy, pancreatectomy, prostatectomy (e.g. doctors who did at least 40 radical prostatectomy operations in a year.) Volume numbers are rather old, FY 2005 (as of mid-2009). Shows hospital affiliation

Medicare (Inpatient) Prices for 31 Common Hospitalizations - June 2007

Find out the average charge (price) and the average Medicare payment (the closest consumers will get to cost) and volume information by county or state for 31 inpatient DRGs such as heart valve, major large or small bowel or stomach operations, inpatient hernia operations, gall bladder removal (open or laparoscopy), hip or knee replacement, bone biopsy, inpatient shoulder joint surgery, kidney and bladder operations for cancer, other kidney or bladder operations, prostatectomy, hysterectomy, back spinal fusion, cervical spinal fusion, insert heart defibrillator. Fiscal year 2006 data. The large gaps between charges and payments may shock you, and lead to a number of questions about cost-shifting, true costs, and realistic charges. Must be able to use Excel spreadsheets. This is part of the government's work to become consumer-friendly for healthcare. It covers all 50 states, but not all counties, and may be the only place you can find this information. Average consumers may have difficulty with navigating the very large, cumbersome files. We had hoped by now, the reporting would show improvements in consumer-friendliness. No such luck; prices for 2008 and 2009 not available as of May 2009.

Medicare - Other Hospital Inpatient Charges - 12 DRGs (June 2007)

In the second file at this site, called Other Inpatient Hospital DRGs of High Utilization, you can find number of cases by county and state, and average charges for Chronic lung disease (COPD), pneumonia, heart bypass with cardiac cath, AAA repair (DRG 110), pacemaker implant, heart attack, heart failure, chest pain, large or small bowel procedures, diabetes, angioplasty with stent, heart valve procedures, and others. Average Medicare payment might give consumers an idea of average cost and cost-shifting. Pacemaker Implant example shows national average charge of $40,752, with average Medicare payment of $12,689 (a 69% discount!) Must know Excel, and be able to find your DRG. Organized by state and county; Fiscal year 2006 data. Not very user-friendly nor current, but it is a place to start.

Medicare Ambulatory Outpatient Surgery Average Cost (2008)

Find out the average prices (charges) to Medicare patients in your state and county, and how much Medicare actually pays for 50 common ambulatory surgeries for rotator cuff repair, wrist fracture pinning, hernia repair, shoulder scopes, endoscopy, colonoscopy, bladder scopes and stents, laser coagulation or vaporization of prostate for urine flow, lower back injections and more. Example: Hernia repair CPT 49560 has average charge of $3720, with Medicare allowing $568 and actually paying $446. Over 80% discount! Average payments do NOT show how much your costs for co-pays and deductibles are. Consumers are expected to know CPT codes and how to use Excel files. Not our favorite, but this is the best of what's out there, and it shows how messed up healthcare pricing is. No longer Editor's Pick, since in two years and the Value-Driven Health Care initiative, we expected improved reports. 2007 data published Aug. 22, 2008

Medicare Ambulatory Surgery Charges - 13 Other Commonly Performed Procedures (2008)

See this second file for 13 more procedure prices and discounts to Medicare. This file covers charges and payments for selected outpatient surgery such as breast biopsy (example: $2446 national average breast biopsy charge, with Medicare allowing $373, and paying $295 - over 80% discount; last year they paid $314), surgical change of stomach tube, prostate needle biopsy (CPT code 55700 $1319 average charge, $341 allowable; $267 average cost paid), nerve blocks, cataract removal & lens insertion ($2827 charge, $966 allowed), cancer screen colon scope for high risk patients, and more. Confusing file unless you know CPT codes. This is the best of what's out there nationally, with state and county average charges. 2007 data published Aug. 22, 2008

Michigan - Compare Hospitals in SE Michigan  

The Greater Detroit Area Health Council has teamed up with WebMD to provide a 7-county version similar to Medscape/WebMD's other national tools and the CMS Hospital Compare tool, to create a Health Care Performance Report. Compare MI hospitals (side-by-side) for heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, surgical infection prevention, Medicare mortality (survival rate) for heart attack, CABG and PCI; some safety measures and volume. Includes Detroit, Ann Arbor, Pontiac and counties: Wayne, Washtenaw, Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, and St. Clair. Details provided when you click on the hospital's name and scroll for full report. Data from 2006 and 2007

Michigan 2006 Consumer Report - Selected Inpatient Conditions

The Michigan Health & Safety Coalition Consumer Report shows volume comparisons among MI hospitals for open heart surgery, percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI), abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (AAA), carotid endarterectomy surgery, esophagectomy for cancer surgery, low birthweight infants, infants with congenital anomalies, and ICU physician staffing. Hospitals are sorted by region. Probably 2006 data

Michigan Hospital Prices, Patient Opinion and Quality Ratings

Michigan Hospital Association's MI Hospital Inform web site shows Medicare charges, payments (how much Medicare pays, so you get an idea of average cost) and volumes for the top 50 most common inpatient and 50 outpatient services at 144 nonprofit hospitals. Includes services like clinic visit (without the doctor's charge), ER visit, MRI, CT scan, ultrasound. Inpatient conditions like stroke (DRG 14), hip, knee or ankle surgery (DRG 544), GI problems, psych admission, heart problems also show average Medicare charges. Patient Satisfaction (HCAHPS) and Quality ratings like those at CMS hospital compare are listed for heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia and surgical infection prevention, except the dates may be older here (2007-2008 data) and no side-by-side comparisons. Prices from 2006-2007, one hospital at a time

Minnesota - Adverse Health Events in MN Hospitals & Ambulatory Surgery Ctrs 2010

Report of 301 adverse health events required to be reported by Minn. law, that occurred in hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers and behavioral health hospitals. These [Never Events] such as falls or pressure ulcers (bedsores) that resulted in a patient's death or serious disability, or a foreign object left in during surgery, or operating on the wrong patient or wrong body part, were reported between October 2008 and Oct. 2009. View facility-specific data in the pdf (linked on the right side of the page), or use the searchable database. Adverse Events in the 2010 report came from 58 hospitals and 4 ambulatory surgery centers. Report by MN Department of Health Jan. 2010

Minnesota - Hospital Price Check (Inpatient & Outpatient)

Hospital-specific prices (charges) for the 50 most common inpatient hospitalizations (DRGs) and top 25 same-day surgery procedures in MN. Find average or median inpatient cost, volume and length of stay for newborns and child birth delivery, pneumonia, chest pain, COPD, hip or knee replacement, appendectomy, cellulitis, hysterectomy, rehab, other surgeries & many more. Outpatient prices for biopsies, cataracts, colonoscopy, ear tubes, gallbladder, hernia repair, arthroscopy, tonsillectomy, upper GI endoscopy, hysteroscopy, carpal tunnel and other same-day surgery. Must know the County in order to select which hospital's prices you want. See one hospital and one procedure at a time; by Minnesota Hospital Association, 2007 prices

Minnesota - wcco.com - Comparing Hospital Costs

WCCO I-Team investigation of 7 hospitals' prices for a private room, cesarean and vaginal deliveries, appendectomy, colonoscopy, hernia repair and procrit. March 2005, Twin Cities, St. Cloud, Rochester, MN. Charges are likely from 2003 or 2004, so consumers should inquire further

Minnesota Hospital Quality Ratings, 2009

A joint effort between the Minnesota Hospital Association and its QIO (Stratis Health) reports care ratings for heart attacks, heart failure, pneumonia and surgical infection prevention. Charts show composite scores, are prettier than at the federal CMS, and consumers can compare all MN hospitals at once. Similar to performance ratings available at the federal site, excluding mortality comparisons; 2007-2008 data

Minnesota: How Much Does It Cost? (word doc)  

Short document from the Minnesota Council of Health Plans, 2005, displays average charges (from 2003) for nearly 50 common medical treatments (including endoscopy, ear tubes, hysterectomy, tonsillectomy, having a baby, and some prescription drugs), using Minnesota data. An interesting comparison is the cost for the same problem (e.g. sore throat or ear ache), depending on whether the patient seeks office care, urgent care or ER care. This report adds together charges from both the hospital and the physician - not commonly seen in reports of charges. In a time when price data are so difficult to get, this report earns an Editor's Pick as a starting point. After all, did you know that stepping on a rusty nail could cost over $1000, or that a colonoscopy could be a $2000 question?

Missouri Healthcare-Associated Infections - Central Line, Surgery & Ventilators  

Three types of hospital-acquired infections - Central Line Associated Bloodstream (CLAB) Infections, Surgical Site Infection rate, and Head of Bed elevation to prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia - are presented by hospital or ambulatory surgery center (ASC) name, along with a symbol identifying whether the facility has a lower or higher rate than its comparison group. Click on DATA if you want to see the actual numbers of infections. Surgery infections available for hysterectomy, hip, heart bypass (CABG), outpatient breast surgery and hernia repair. Report by the MO Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) uses 2008 data. Easy to use Web site, so long as you remember to select which type of ICU for the CLAB data

Missouri Typical Inpatient Charges and Hospital-Specific Volumes (pdf)

Median charges for 60 most common inpatient medical conditions and surgeries at 109 Missouri hospitals. Information grouped by St. Louis, Kansas City, MO, mid-sized city hospitals and rural markets. Only general prices are shown by region, but you can see how much is charged, vs. how much is usually collected. Example: About $18,000 charged for Stroke, but $6600 is usually collected. Similar information for hip and knee replacement (median price $35,543 in Kansas City; $12,177 usually collected). This may be the closest you will find to average cost. Numbers of cases treated at each hospital, average length of stay, and the lower amounts that Medicare and Medicaid usually pay also shown. Includes COPD, Pneumonia, Heart care including stents, valves & cardiac cath, Bowel surgery, GI hemorrhage, Back problems, Renal failure, Kidney and UTI, Hysterectomy, Childbirth, Rehab, Stomach problems, Hernia (inpatient), Gall bladder (open and laparoscopic), prostatectomy, spinal fusion, some cancer care and more. Data from 2004-2005 is most recent available

Montana Hospital Inpatient Charges - Compare Prices

Montana PricePoint shows average charges at MT hospitals for inpatient stays (2007-2008 prices), including newborns, deliveries, Cesarean section, knee or hip replacement, rehab, psychiatric hospitalization, back problems, heart failure, stent, chest pain, bowel surgery, more. Many hospitalizations (such as diabetes, kidney or urinary tract infections, appendectomy, inpatient gall bladder removal) can only be found by using the comprehensive search. Site by MHA-An Association of Montana Health Care Providers

Montana Hospital Outpatient Surgery Costs

Compare MT hospital charges for ambulatory surgery and diagnostic tests such as colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, breast biopsy, cardiac stress tests, cardiac catheterization. All prices EXCLUDE surgeon fees and other physician costs. PricePoint system shows last year's facility prices for common surgical procedures such as tonsillectomy, cataracts, ear tubes, knee cartilage, bunions, child's appendix removal, carpal tunnel, skin lesions, upper GI endoscopy; 2007-2008 costs

Nebraska Hospital PricePoint System (Inpatient Charges)

Find average price and typical charges for many types of inpatient hospital stays in NE. Examples: maternity prices, angioplasty, heart surgery, some cancer services, hip & knee surgery, bowel surgery, pneumonia, stroke, UTI, gall bladder surgery (inpatient only). Includes volume, average length of stay in the hospital, and median age of patient. Does not include physician costs. Shows one hospital/ one disease or condition at a time; 2007-2008 data. All cities including Omaha, Lincoln, Grand Island, Creighton, Norfolk, Kearney. NHA Care Compare is sponsored by the Nebraska Hospital Association

Nevada Hospital 2004 Average Bill and Length of Stay (pdf)

Nevada selected 39 common medical and surgical diagnoses by DRG, and reports each hospital's average bill for each of the last five years. Sample DRGs: Stroke, COPD, Pneumonia, Asthma in kids, Heart Failure, Chest Pain, Bowel Procedures, Appendectomy, Gall Bladder, Hip Replacement, Back problems, Diabetes, Renal Failure, Hysterectomy, Births, Psychoses. Facility volumes and state-wide average charges also shown. Report title: Personal Health Choices.

Nevada Hospital Ratings and Patient Satisfaction Scores

Nevada Hospital Association shows NV hospitals' performance ratings on Heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia and surgical infection prevention, plus patient opinion ratings. Shows 2008-2009 data for same hospital performance measures as CMS HospitalCompare website (no composite scores). Consumers may view all hospitals in the state side-by-side

Nevada PricePoint (Hospital Inpatient Charges)

Find average price and typical charges for 67 types of inpatient hospitalizations in NV. Examples: childbirth prices, COPD, heart surgery, pacemaker, stents, hip & knee surgery, digestive problems, psychiatric hospitalization, rehab. Average length of stay in the hospital also given. Choose Comprehensive Query for prices on many other conditions not on the Basic list. Get one hospital/one disease or condition at a time; 2008-2009 charges shown. Must inflate and add physician fees to estimate 2010 average costs. Sponsored by the Nevada Hospital Association

New Hampshire Costs - Outpatient Surgery, Tests and Maternity

Shows typical prices for many outpatient procedures, plus inpatient maternity care. NH Health Cost shows expected average cost for over 30 common tests and ambulatory surgeries including colonoscopy, mammogram, ER visit; chest x-ray or x-ray for spine, shoulder, knee, ankle, or foot; bone density scan, CT scan (3 types), MRI for back, brain, knee, or pelvis; myocardial imaging; arthrocentesis, arthroscopy of knee, breast biopsy, destruction of lesion, outpatient gall bladder surgery, hernia repair, kidney stone removal, tonsillectomy, breast ultrasound, and other maternity ultrasound tests, births. Site uses 2007-2008 costs increased by 5% for price inflation, common language instead of requiring codes, and includes physician fees. Must supply zip code and insurance information (or no insurance). Report by The NH Department of Insurance updated 2009

New Hampshire Hospital Ratings (Heart, pneumonia, surgery, satisfaction) 2008

NHQualityCare compares New Hampshire hospitals' performance ratings for Heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia care and surgical infection prevention, plus patient satisfaction and willingness to recommend (see page 2). More current than many sites, using 2008 data, and achievable benchmark shown. Consumers encouraged to compare Composite Scores at the end of each health topic. NHQualityCare.org is a partnership between two nonprofits: Foundation for Healthy Communities and the Northeast Health Care Quality Foundation (QIO). Updated 2009

New Hampshire PricePoint System (Inpatient Charges)

Find average price and typical charges for 64 types of inpatient hospitalizations in NH. Examples: maternity prices, heart surgery, pacemaker, hip & knee surgery, digestive problems, psychiatric hospitalization. Average length of stay in the hospital also given. Choose Comprehensive Query for prices on many other conditions not on the Basic list. Get one hospital/one disease or condition at a time; 2007 data shown. By the New Hampshire Hospital Association

New Jersey 2009 Hospital Performance Report Card - heart, pneumonia, surgical infections

Guide for comparing NJ hospitals on Heart Attacks, Heart Failure, Pneumonia, and Surgical Infection Prevention prepared by the NJ Department of Health and Senior Services. Individual hospitals' overall quality of performance in 2008 ranged from 81% to 100%. Top 10% hospitals are shown. Details are available including mortality rates for heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, stroke, and CABG. Patient Safety Indicators use 2007 data. Easy to use. Released Oct. 2009

New Mexico CheckPoint - Hospital Quality Ratings 2008

Compare hospital performance ratings side-by-side for heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia quality (medical scores ranged from 9% to 100%), and surgical infection prevention (scores from 40% [Lovelace] to 98% [Carlsbad). Similar information as CMS website, except that time periods may differ and this site does not show mortality ratings. 2007 data from the New Mexico Hospital Association (NMHHSA)

New York and New Jersey 2008 HMO and Hospital Report Card (nyshaf.org)  

Compare cost and quality ratings for HMOs such as Aetna, AmeriHealth, Blue Choice, CDPHP, CIGNA, Community, Empire, GHI, Health Net, HIP, Independent, MVP, Oxford, Preferred Care, United & Univera side-by-side in NY and NJ, for diabetes, asthma, postpartum care, some cancer care, mental health, antibiotic use for children, low back pain care, Board-certified physicians, monthly health insurance premiums, overall patient satisfaction experience & more. Hospital quality comparisons on heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia and surgical infections also provided for NY hospitals. Inpatient volumes, average length of stay and average price (charges) provided for appendectomy, asthma, maternity (incl. newborn & c-section delivery), chest pain, depressive neuroses, diabetes, gall bladder surgery, heart failure, hip replacement, hysterectomy, stroke, cardiac procedures, pneumonia, and COPD. Some survival ratings. Impressive list of measures, too numerous to mention. Health Care Report Card prepared by the NYS Health Accountability Foundation - a partnership of the NY Business Group on Health and IPRO (the QIO). Dates of data vary; HMO premiums are supposed to be current to the month

New York City Public Hospitals and Nursing Home Ratings 2009  

Compare quality of care ratings for 11 NYC public hospitals (Bellevue, Coney Island, Elmhurst in Flushing, Harlem, Jacobi, Kings County, Lincoln, Metropolitan, North Central Bronx, Queens in Jamaica, and Woodhull in Brooklyn). Topics: heart care and survival rates for heart attack and heart failure; pneumonia, and preventing infections associated with central lines, ventilators (VAP) and surgery. Four nursing homes (Coler-Goldwater, Gourverneur, McKinney, Sea View)also can be compared for pressure ulcers (bedsores), pain management and preventing falls. NYC.gov site uses 2006-2008 data. Nice site, with improved format for facility-specific information. Impressive gains have been made in reducing infections. Editor's pick for the hospital Infections info & nursing home comparisons

New York State 2009 Honor Roll for Inpatient Hospital Care  

List shows NY hospitals with 3 stars with the best inpatient quality ratings - whose risk-adjusted mortality (death) rates in 2007 were statistically significantly lower than the state average (better survival rates). Conditions include congestive heart failure survival, heart attack survival, postoperative pulmonary embolism, DVT, hematoma, or sepsis, stroke survival, pneumonia survival, hip fracture survival, GI hemorrhage, craniotomy survival, PTCA, iatrogenic pneumothorax, accidental puncture. Prepared by the Niagra Health Quality Coalition

New York State 2009 Hospital Report Card (SM)

Compare hospitals in Central NY, Finger Lakes, Mid-Hudson, Nassau-Suffolk, New York City, Northeast, and Western regions for survival rates: AAA, carotid endarterectomy, CABG, craniotomy, esophageal resection, pancreas removal, PTCA and pediatric heart surgery, hip replacement & hip fracture death rates, heart attack, heart failure, stroke, pneumonia and GI Hemorrhage survival. Patient safety performance on hospital infections, collapsed lung, postop pulmonary embolism or sepsis, and other information for maternity and surgery (e.g. gall bladder) also included. Myhealthfinder.com is a service of the Alliance for Quality Health Care & the Niagara Health Quality Coalition. Reports for 2009 analyzed patients from 2007

New York State Hospital Quality Ratings - nyhealth.gov

Select NY hospitals to compare in seven areas: Appropriate Heart Attack care; Heart Failure care; Pneumonia; Surgical infection prevention; Adult CABG or Pediatric cardiac surgery mortality (death) rates; and Angioplasty mortality rates. The search by procedure feature shows volume of common inpatient surgeries like inpatient gall bladder removal and kidney transplants. Most data from 2008; death rates from 2006. Side-by-side comparisons do not work for 2008-2009 volumes; view individual hospital reports to see data. State Department of Health site. Able to search by region such as Long Island

North Carolina Hospital Ratings Heart, Pneumonia, Surgical Infections

Compare NC hospital performance (grouped by region) for Heart Attack, Heart Failure, Pneumonia and Surgical Infection Prevention. Consumers can find similar information at the federal HospitalCompare site, but here all hospitals are side-by-side and may be easier to see by region. Site by the North Carolina Hospital Association; 2008 data

Nova Scotia Wait Times for Tests and Surgery  

Excellent government web site from Nova Scotia Canada showing the wait times for diagnostic tests such as MRIs, bone density scans, mammograms, and waiting times for scheduled surgery such as ear tubes, hip or knee replacement, carpal tunnel, gall bladder removal (cholecystectomy), hysterectomy, hernia repair, vasectomy, and cataract surgery; and referrals to physician specialists (such as cancer specialists). Hospital and facility information is recent (e.g. Dec. 2008 reported in January 2009)

Ohio 2008 Hospital Prices - Inpatient, Outpatient, OR, ER

Selected 2008 prices are provided by each hospital through the OHA - Ohio Hospital Association. Hospital charges shown for daily room rate, labor and delivery (obstetrics), Emergency Department (ER) prices, Operating Room surgery charges in 30-minute blocks, Mammogram, X-ray, CT, MRI, Lab tests such as CBC, Lipid Profile, Urinalysis, Troponin, PTT, Toxicology screen, blood glucose; Physical Therapy, OT, EKG test, more. Price list varies by hospital. Caution: Physician professional fees may not be included - even in ER - so read the fine print

Ohio Hospital Charges and Utilization, 2007 (ohio.gov)

Ohio.gov Web site shows DRG (diagnosis related groups) inpatient charges (the closest available for average cost) and volumes by hospital. Public Warehouse data. Must know DRGs in order to find the procedure prices you want. Common hospitalizations: childbirth/ maternity & newborn delivery, heart problems, gall bladder, hysterectomy, pneumonia, stroke, rehab, joint surgery. Top 60 types of hospital stays

Ohio Hospitals - Top 60 Inpatient Hospital Prices (OHA)

As required by the Ohio Department of Health, the average and typical prices for the top 60 most common hospitalizations are listed by Diagnosis Related Groups (DRGs) for all payer cases. Reports published by the Ohio Hospital Association show volume, average charge and length of stay. No side-by-side comparisons. Surgery procedures and hospitalizations (such as joint replacement, delivery, hysterectomy [DRG 358], psychiatric admission, COPD, etc.) are listed in the order of volume for each hospital, requiring consumers to search for the condition they want, and check each individual hospital's report. 2008 data

Oklahoma PricePoint (Hospital Inpatient Charges)

Find average 2007 price and typical charges for many types of inpatient hospitalizations in OK. Examples: childbirth delivery prices, heart surgery, cardiac cath, hip & knee surgery, digestive problems, pneumonia, psychiatric hospitalization, rehab. Average length of stay in the hospital also given. Choose Comprehensive Query for prices on many other conditions not on the Basic list. Get one hospital/one disease or condition at a time. Sponsored by the Oklahoma Hospital Association. Consumers will need to inflate the old 2007 charges to estimate 2010 prices

Oregon - compare hospital costs for under age 65 (2007)

State of OR (OHPR) posts average hospital charges paid by Oregon's 9 largest health plans (excludes Medicare, Medicaid) in 2007. Site is easy to navigate (click on Start Search), to compare costs for leukemia, chemotherapy, lymphoma, normal newborns and childbirth, prostate cancer (see Male reproductive), hysterectomy (Female reproductive), mental health, UTI, knee replacement and many more. Other than the prices being two years old, the information might be helpful if you think you can negotiate or select a better value hospital. Better inquire to see how much prices have gone up since 2007. Pub. 2009

Oregon Hospital Quality Ratings (heart, pneumonia, surgery, satisfaction scores)

Oregon's hospital association (OAHHS) provides almost the same information here as reported for the national HospitalCompare website, but the site is easier to use, since it shows the data all at once across the state. Four types of quality measures are shown: heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia and hospital infections (surgery); plus patient satisfaction scores; Medicare mortality (death) rates and readmission rates for heart attack, heart failure or pneumonia. Most data from 2008-2009

Pennsylvania - Hospital Quality Ratings & Patient Opinions (PHCQA)

Compare PA hospitals side-by-side for heart failure, heart attack, pneumonia care, surgical infection prevention, and patient satisfaction. Similar info at the CMS HospitalCompare (dates may vary), but this may be easier to use; 2007-2008 data. Pennylvania Health Care Quality Alliance (PHCQA) includes the PA Hospital Association (HAP), the Blue Cross Plans, the PA Medical Society and others.

Pennsylvania Hospital Performance Report 2008 | PHC4 (Sept. 2009)  

Compare PA hospitals on Mortality Rating (relative survival rate), Average Charge (price), Length of Stay, and Readmissions. Thirty one (31) conditions in the pdf prepared reports include heart failure, abnormal heartbeat, heart attack, angioplasty and stent, pneumonia, stomach and intestinal bleeding, stroke, (laparoscopic & open) gallbladder removal, hip fracture, COPD, blood clots, colorectal procedures, diabetes, kidney failure, urinary tract infections, abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, hysterectomy, septicemia, (radical and transurethral) prostatectomy, respiratory failure with & without mechanical ventilation, intestinal obstruction & carotid endarterectomy. Grouped by region. Use the Create your Own Report feature to access 20 additional conditions such as Brain surgery, medical back care, bronchitis & asthma, cirrhosis, liver disease, pancreatic cancer, stomach disorders, vascular procedures and more. Symbols for Mortality ratings can be confusing - a higher mortality rating means worse survival (we think). Contains helpful glossary for diagnoses & surgical procedures. Probably the most comprehensive report for hospital care in the country. Data from Oct. 1, 2007 to Sept. 30, 2008

Pennsylvania: Hospital-acquired Infections, 2007 (PHC4)

Study of 165 Pennsylvania hospitals shows hospital-acquired infections are dangerous (may contribute to lower survival rates: 12.2% mortality for those with such infections, vs. 2.0% for those without) and costly. Nearly 28,000 hospital acquired infections were reported in 2007, on nearly 1.6 million patients. Almost half of infections were Urinary Tract Infections. Hospitals are shown with peer group hospitals based on size, service complexity and volume of surgery. Average charges shown, but PA hospitals were only paid 27% of charges in 2007. Readers advised to read the full introduction before viewing individual hospital results. Report by Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council, an independent state agency, January 2009

PreventInfection.org

Learn about the impact of hospital-acquired infections in this site managed by the Association For Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC). Check [Did You Know?] for references to the additional costs of hospital-acquired infections - e.g. Add over $15,000 to the bill if you get a surgical site infection - not to mention the physical toll

Rhode Island PricePoint (Hospital Inpatient Charges)

Find average 2006 price and typical charges for 64 types of inpatient hospitalizations in RI. Examples: childbirth delivery prices, heart surgery, cardiac cath, stents, hip & knee surgery, digestive problems, pneumonia, psychiatric hospitalization, rehab. Average length of stay in the hospital also given. Choose Comprehensive Query for prices on many other conditions not on the Basic list. Get one hospital/one disease or condition at a time. Sponsored by the Hospital Association of Rhode Island (HARI), using old 2006 charges. Consumers will need to inflate the old charges for estimating currrent prices

South Carolina - Compare Hospital Acquired Infection Rates (HAIs)

Find surgical site infection rates at SC hospitals for hysterectomy (vaginal & abdominal), inpatient and outpatient gall bladder surgery, hip and knee replacements, and heart bypass (CABG), 2007-2008 data. Central line infections in hospital ICUs also shown; one hospital at a time. Provided by state Department of Health (DHEC)

South Dakota Average Charges for Top 25 Inpatient Hospital Stays - Statewide 2007

Data on median charges (typical prices) for 25 high-frequency SD inpatient hospitalizations and surgery. Includes newborns ($2025) and uncomplicated deliveries ($5244), Cesarean section; psychoses ($6404) and depression ($4996); complicated pneumonia, COPD ($9905); hip, knee, joint replacement ($31,450); back problems; heart failure ($10,640), Stent ($26,229), chest pain; digestive, stomach and abdominal procedures; hysterectomy ($15,763, up 15% from 2006); stroke; rehabilitation ($19,495, up 15%); kidney failure ($14,776) and more. To find the usual price for a specific hospital or surgical center, click on Hospitals in the upper right of the web page. Pub. June 2008 by SD Department of Health, 2007 prices

South Dakota Hospital Quality Ratings and Patient Opinions - free

Compare quality of SD hospitals on heart attack, heart failure care, pneumonia, preventing infections in surgery patients, children's asthma, and overall patient satisfaction recommendations. Readmission and survival ratings are also shown for heart and pneumonia. CheckPoint site by SDAHO (hospital association) uses 2008 data for most measures. Same data as reported to CMS HospitalCompare (time periods may differ), but here all hospitals are side-by-side. State average and the best 10% scores are shown

Surgical Safety Checklist proves effective - NEJM Jan. 29, 2009

Article by Haynes, Weiser et al (including our favorite Atul Gawande MD) published in the New England Journal of Medicine, outlines the effectiveness of an easy-to-implement surgical checklist. The study tested the tool and approach with about 4000 patients in eight hospitals (incl. one in Seattle) in 8 countries, providing a diverse application of the checklist. Results showed significant and dramatic improvement in lowering surgical site infections, returns to OR, deaths, and complications. Read article, then enroll your hospital in IHI.org's free campaign to improve hospital care. Very exciting stuff

Tennessee Hospital Quality Comparison Ratings

The Tennessee Hospital Association and BlueCross BlueShield of TN have teamed up to compare hospital quality on mortality (survival rates), readmissions, volume and length of stay data. Interactive site for maternity, C-Section delivery, gall bladder surgery (laparoscopic & open cholecystectomy), cardiac valves, CABG, defibrillators, heart failure, stomach and GI problems, pneumonia, stroke, COPD, pacemakers, PCI, bowel surgery, brain surgery, back surgery, psychiatric hospitalization, hip and knee joint replacement (listed under Single & Bilateral Jt) and vascular procedures. Uses 2005-2006 data

Texas - Guide to Texas HMO Quality 2008 (OPIC)  

Lengthy (212 pages) but valuable report showing detailed clinical quality comparisons between HMO health insurance plans for indicators such as asthma, childhood immunizations, cancer screening, heart care, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes care, prenatal care, mental health care, flu shots, ER visit rates, rates of physician board certification, and more. Pub. by TX Office of Public Insurance Council Oct. 2008

Texas - Inpatient Care Ratings in Texas Hospitals, 2007

More than 20 separate quality ratings include patients of any payer type. Compare hospital volumes, mortality (survival rates), and certain utilization rates (i.e. cesarean section, VBAC rate, cardiac cath, appendectomy in elderly). Survival rates for heart attack (AMI), heart failure CHF, stroke, GI hemorrhage, hip fracture, and pneumonia. Volume and/or death rates provided for heart bypass surgery (CABG), angioplasty (PTCA), AAA Repair, hip replacement, craniotomy, esophageal resection, pancreatic resection, and carotid endarterectomy. TX Dept. of State Health Services THCIC. If your hospital has a * by it, its mortality rate is significantly lower (good), but if it has two ** by it, its risk-adjusted mortality was found to be significantly higher; must look VERY closely to find the asterisks. Option to create your own report by searching the database by geographic area didn't work for us. Released February 2010

Top Performers - Why Not the Best Hospitals (Commonwealth)

The Commonwealth Fund, a private foundation that aims to promote a high performing health care system, launched a side-by-side comparison tool of 4500 US hospitals called Why Not the Best? Using 2007-2008 data from the CMS Hospital Compare website, this tool helps people compare overall and composite performance on heart failure, heart attack, pneumonia, surgical infection prevention, and patient satisfaction, and identifies the top 1% of hospitals. Easy to use, but explicitly NOT meant for consumers choosing hospitals. Instead, it's intended to be a research tool to improve hospital performance.

usnews.com Best Hospitals 2009: Digestive Disorders

Fifty hospitals ranked, using Medicare data 2005-2007, 30-day mortality index, volume, reputation and other factors. Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic lead the 2009 list. GI problems, inpatient Gall bladder cases, & bowel surgery are included in this best hospitals category, formerly referred to as Gastrointestinal Disorders

usnews.com Best Hospitals 2009: Ear, nose, and throat

Uses 3 years of Medicare data, to select the top 50 best hospitals for ENT. Top of the list: Johns Hopkins and MD Anderson. Strong weight to Reputation scores and volume. Rankings also consider Mortality Index

usnews.com Best Hospitals 2009: Gynecology Rankings

Brigham and Women's Hospital (Boston) and Johns Hopkins lead the list of 2009 best hospitals for Gynecology from US News & World Report. Gynecology rankings include hysterectomy surgeries, and use data Medicare data from 2005 to 2007. Mortality Index included

usnews.com Best Hospitals 2009: Neurology and neurosurgery

US News & World Report's list of top 50 hospitals for Neuro care and Neurosurgery. Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins lead the 2009 list. Stroke, craniotomy and spinal fusion included in this category. Because reputation and Medicare volumes get high weight in the rankings, some hospitals have mortality scores that are 22% (Philadelphia) or 38% (Phoenix) higher than expected, so look at the mortality index

usnews.com Best Hospitals 2009: Ophthalmology (Eye)

Seventeen hospitals listed for eye surgery, ranked using reputation scores only, no clinical outcomes data were examined (except what individual physicians responding to the survey had investigated on their own). University of Miami (Florida) and Johns Hopkins top US News & World Report's list of best hospital Ophthalmology programs

usnews.com Best Hospitals 2009: Pediatric & Children's Hospitals

Top 30 hospitals for general pediatrics, as determined by US News & World Report, based on reputation score, volume, nurse staffing, and other factors. Special lists for best children's hospitals in heart & heart surgery, and neurology & neurosurgery use mortality (death) rates. Top 30 pediatric hospitals listed for cancer, digestive disorders, neonatal care, and respiratory disorders. List called America's Best Children's Hospitals, was updated June 2009

usnews.com Best Hospitals 2009: Urology Rankings

Johns Hopkins and the Cleveland Clinic to the Urology list of 50 best hospitals from US News & World Report. List uses Medicare data, reputation and other factors; includes cases of prostatectomy surgery. All hospitals had 30-day mortality index scores of 85% of expected deaths, or lower

Utah Inpatient Hospital Charges, 2008 - Utah PricePoint

Utah provides average charges (price) statewide, and on a hospital-specific basis for many common inpatient stays, such as pneumonia, stroke, appendectomy, hip and knee procedures, gall bladder surgery, hysterectomy, heart failure, heart attack, chest pain, coronary bypass, heart valve procedures, vaginal and cesarean deliveries, newborn births, chemotherapy, psychoses, alcohol or drug abuse, rehabilitation, back and neck procedures, digestive disorders, abdominal surgery, nutritional/metabolic problems, transplants and much more. Volumes (2008 data) and length of stay are included; does not include average cost for physicians. Consumers may adjust for 2010 costs by adding 2-year price inflation. As with other PricePoint Systems, view one UT hospital at a time. Utah Hospital Assn

Vermont - 2009 Hospital Report Cards (Act 53)  

Vermont calls these ratings Act 53 report cards, in honor of legislation passed in 2003, requiring VT hospitals to publish annual community reports about hospital quality, safety, financial health, costs for services and more. This government site links to all of the data, including outpatient prices. Health conditions include heart care, pneumonia, surgical infection prevention, central line associated bloodstream infection rates, hysterectomy infections, knee replacement and hip replacement infection rates, volume and death rates for resection of esophagus or of pancreas (usually for cancer), pediatric heart surgery, abdominal aneurysm repair (AAA), & more. This site earns Editor's Pick for putting Composite Quality Ratings, Survival Rate information, links to patient satisfaction and current medical prices all on the same same web page for easy access. Well done. Nurse staffing also available.

Vermont - Hospital Outpatient Surgery Prices, 2008 (pdf)  

Compare average gross charge (the closest you will get to average cost) for most common outpatient surgical procedures at 14 general hospitals in VT. Prices for procedures such as colonoscopy ($1859 state average, with low of $1255 at Porter Hospital to high of $2816 at North Country), colon polyp removal ($2409 average), cataract surgery (average $4575), endoscopy (stomach endoscopy prices range from $1356 at Southwestern to $3313 at Fletcher Allen), fetal monitoring (average $596), knee cartilage surgery ($5400 average), shoulder surgery, gall bladder removal (average $9353, range $7279 to $20,093 for laparoscopy), breast biopsy (avg. $3068), other biopsies, ear tubes (average $2293), cardiac catheterization (avg. $8271), tonsillectomy (about $4400), nerve block, bunion removal (range $4383 to $10,304), D & C ($3849) and many more procedures; 12-month avg. charges ending Sept. 30, 2008. As with all of Vermont's reports, the font size is about as small as you can get. Nonetheless, Editor's Pick

Vermont - Inpatient Hospital Average Prices, 2008 (pdf)  

Report shows average prices (charges) for each VT hospital's most frequent inpatient admissions - includes newborn delivery, cesarean section, pneumonia, total hip or knee replacement, depression, psychoses such as schizophrenia, COPD & emphysema, heart failure, chest pain, rehabilitation, stomach problems, appendectomy, hysterectomy, bowel, TURP and other surgery; stent, heart cath, heart rhythm problems, back problems, kidney or urinary tract infection, and other hospital stays. All common hospital admissions were more than $5000. Compare costs on 55 different types of cases, listed by MS-DRG. Links to hospital discount policies for consumers with cost concerns; 2007-2008 average charges

Vermont - Outpatient Surgery Market Share & Average 2008 Prices (pdf)

Find out how many outpatient surgeries are done at each Vermont hospital, and the average price statewide (average gross charge) for period of Oct 2007 to Sept. 2008. Prices do not include physician charges. Average price for colonoscopy was $1859, cataract surgery $4575, stomach endoscopy $2539, ear tubes $2293, tonsillectomy without removing adenoids $4468, removal of a bunion $7255 for most common procedure code. Part of the State BISHCA 2008 Act 53 Hospital Community Report series

Washington (state) Hospital Inpatient Prices

Find out the typical charges (2007-2008 prices) to estimate the average cost of hospital surgery or medical problems. About 60 types, including maternity care, psychiatric hospitalization and digestive problems, are covered. Shows one hospital at a time similar to other state pricepoint systems. Presented by the WA State Hospital Association (WSHA)

Washington Hospital Quality Ratings and Satisfaction Levels: Heart, Pneumonia, Surgery, Asthma

Compare WA hospital scores for Heart Attack, Heart Failure, Pneumonia and Surgical Prevention of Surgical Infections and Blood Clots, children's Asthma Care, and patient opinions. Mortality (survival) data for heart care and pneumonia. Consumers can find much of this information at the federal HospitalCompare site, but here all hospitals are side-by-side and may be easier to see. Most data are 2008; CheckPoint site by the Washington State Hospital Association

Weight Loss Surgery (MedlinePlus)

Information about risks, bariatric surgery, gastric bypass, laparoscopic Roux-en-Y procedure, stomach band, Body Mass Index (BMI), directories of bariatric physicians, Medicare coverage for weight loss surgery, laparoscopic surgery videos and more

Wisconsin - Ambulatory Surgery Charges, 2008 (pdf)

Average 2008 charges in WI for 40 common ambulatory surgery procedures, such as Colonoscopy (6 codes), Endoscopy, Biopsy, Spinal Injection, Cataract & Lens, outpatient Knee surgery/arthroscopy, Cardiac Catheterization, Carpal Tunnel, Ear Tubes, Tonsillectomy, Hernia Repair, Cholecystectomy, Hysteroscopy, Cochlear Implant ($55,678), shoulder surgery. Volumes for each hospital and surgical center are shown for top 20 only. Prices do NOT include surgeon and physician fees, which may cost thousands of dollars and could double prices shown. Consumers should add inflation to estimate 2010 facility prices. Scroll to bottom of page for Chapters VI and VII Ambulatory Surgery, published by WHA Information Center March 2010

Wisconsin CheckPoint - Hospital Ratings and Patient Opinions  

Compare hospital quality performance and patient satisfaction ratings for 125 hospitals in WI. Topics: heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, surgical infection prevention and survvival for hip, knee surgery, heart, vascular, other cardiac, colon surgery and hysterectomy; patient safety practices, incidental appendectomy rate; deaths data. See how many patients would definitely recommend the hospital. Most data in January 2010 update are from 2008-2009. Wisconsin Hospital Association makes quarterly updates. Even though the clinical topic list is sketchy (such as Bones and Digestive), WHA receives Editor's Pick for going beyond CMS measures, for showing all hospitals side-by-side, consumer ease in getting a free comprehensive quality report for one hospital, staying current, and showing comparisons to the benchmark best in the state

Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality - Hospital Inpatient Ratings & Prices

Compare hospital performance ratings for Surgery (including heart valves, gastric bypass [weight loss], angioplasty [PCI]), Heart Care, Maternity Care, Pneumonia, computerized physician orders to prevent medication errors, ICU staffing and more. Over 20 hospitals participate. Shows charges (average 2007 price) for some heart care, knee replacement, childbirth delivery, and pneumonia care; includes Leapfrog, CMS/Joint Commission measures. Some 2008 data. WCHQ report

Wisconsin Hospital Survival Ratings for Surgical Procedures  

Compare 86 WI hospitals (side-by-side) on their survival rates for AAA Repair, Craniotomy, heart (cardiac) bypass, PTCA angioplasty, CEA endarterectomy, resection of the esophagus or pancreas, and hip replacement surgery. Wisconsin Hospital Association report Deaths During a Procedure shows most hospitals performed As Expected, with a few significantly Worse, or Better than the others. Source data from 2007 (detailed practices shown for 2008), published 2009

Wisconsin Hospitals PricePoint (Average Inpatient Prices)

Average charge and length of stay for common hospitalizations including maternity and newborn births, hip or knee replacement surgery, gallbladder removal, heart surgery, angioplasty, arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), valves, cardiac cath, pacemaker, pneumonia, bipolar and other mental health, stroke, asthma, back care, asthma, COPD, rehab; kidney, heart, lung or other transplant; hysterectomy, prostate surgery, bowel surgery & more; Top 25 shown in a short report for each hospital. From WHA Information Center, part of the Wisconsin Hospital Association, using 2008-2009 data. Last year's charges are currently the closest information consumers are able to find about average costs; surgeon fees NOT included. It takes a few screens, but you can compare four hospitals (anywhere in the state) at one time. Wisc. Hospital Assn. created the PricePoint System now used in other states. Also shows charity care and inpatient volumes

Wisconsin PricePoint - Outpatient & Ambulatory Surgery Cost

Compare outpatient and ambulatory surgery charges for colonoscopy (under Diagnostic), cataracts, ear surgery, cardiac catheterization, shoulder or knee surgery, carpal tunnel release (see Nerve), tonsil, appendix, breast biopsy, endoscopy, gallbladder, sterilization and more. Prices for tonsillectomy, laparoscopic appendectomy and ear tubes for kids are filed under C for Child. Shows one hospital or surgical center at a time, plus typical price in county and average 2008-2009 surgery prices in Wisconsin, excluding surgeon and other doctors' fees which may double the numbers you see here