Choosing a Hospital
Did you know that not all hospitals offer all services? If you're thinking about a heart procedure, you'll want a hospital with a full range of cardiac procedures. Don't assume that your closest hospital has this capability. Check. Ask questions. Here is the kind of information that will be useful to you as you make your choice:
Teaching vs. Community (Non-Teaching) Hospital
Teaching hospitals, in addition to treating patients, train resident physicians (MDs taking training in specialties), specialty fellows (MDs taking training beyond residency), and other healthcare professionals. Because these hospitals are almost always associated with a medical school, patients have access to the latest technologies and highly skilled specialists who teach at the medical school. Furthermore, resident physicians and fellows assure you of quality care from a cadre of physicians who are on-site when your own physician cannot be with you.
Bridgeport Hospital is a teaching hospital, affiliated with Yale University School of Medicine and Yale–New Haven Hospital. Several of our residency programs are jointly operated with Yale.
Bridgeport Hospital also has its own School of Nursing (one of the nation's first, established in 1884), which traditionally has one of the highest pass rates in Connecticut on the state Registered Nurse licensing exam. This assures us of high-quality nurses for our patients.
Nurses
How many registered nurses (RNs) are there for each patient? One nurse can usually care for three to six patients, except in intensive care units where a good ratio is one RN for every one or two patients.
Level of Experience
Ask how many open hearts and angioplasties are done at the hospital each year. For open-heart, the number should be at least 300. For procedures such as angiograms or angioplasties, the number should be much higher—about 1,200. The more the better—your cardiac team will be experienced and will work together smoothly. Last year, open-heart surgery teams in The Heart Institute at Bridgeport Hospital performed:
Outcomes
Get any outcome measurements, such mortality (death) rates, complication rates, five-year survival rates, quality-of life measurements, etc. related to the procedure you may need from the hospital. Bridgeport Hospital's angioplasty outcomes are better than proposed national guidelines and our surgical results are better than the predicted outcomes, taking into account individual patient risk factors.
Range of Services
Though you may come to the hospital for a heart condition, you may have other complications—diabetes, perhaps, or a lung disease. Managing these problems requires a multidisciplinary team approach with physicians from several specialties. Immediate access to a full range of specialty departments within a facility may be important. Ask for a list of specialty department backup available in the hospital. Compare this list with other hospitals.
In particular, be sure that the hospital you choose for a heart procedure has a full Healthy Heart Program (formerly Outpatient Cardiac Rehab) to help you as you recover from your procedure, and to help you and your family prevent future heart problems.
Infection Control
Find out if there is an infection control practitioner on staff. Naturally, there are germs present in hospitals—treating germs is part of our mission! Therefore, it is possible to get sick from a stay in the hospital. Hospital-acquired illnesses are a major concern, especially since one-third to one-half of acquired infections may be preventable.
At Bridgeport Hospital, our dedicated infection control section consists of the Chief of the Section of Infectious Diseases, plus infection control nurses.
Referral Network
Find out what arrangements the hospital has with other facilities for treating patients with especially complex conditions that may need highly specialized care. Bridgeport Hospital is a charter member of the Yale New Haven Health System, and has close ties with Yale–New Haven Hospital, one of the nation's most prestigious healthcare institutions.
Recommendations
Ask your physician and other healthcare professionals which hospital they would choose and why. Ask friends and colleagues, also, what hospital they would recommend and why.
Bridgeport Hospital is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and has earned JCAHO's Gold Seal of Approval.
Financial/Insurance Information
First, make sure the hospital accepts your health insurance. Then find out what the hospital charges for the procedure you are considering, and compare between hospitals. Talk carefully with your benefits manager, and review your insurance policy to make sure you have all your financial and coverage facts straight.
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