Why Rating Hospitals is a Good Idea

personal injury lawyer Bronx

The ranking of hospitals is beneficial to the consumer public, according to a recent U.S. News & World report. With just under 100,000 patients admitted to U.S. hospitals on a daily basis, it is important to know how the facility you may be visiting compares to others. Hospitals are ranked nationally and regionally, according to the report. The reason why hospitals are ranked is because almost two million people annually need the services of inpatient hospital care for a number of medical conditions that, when treated, may pose an increased risk of harm or even death. If you or someone you know has been injured as a result of the negligence of another, contact a skilled and experienced Bronx personal injury lawyer right away.

How the Hospitals Ranked

The rankings were based on 16 specialties in which hospital care is given and included:

• Cancer;
• Cardiology and heart surgery;
• Diabetes and endocrinology;
• Ear, nose and throat care;
• Gastroenterology and GI surgery;
• Gynecology;
• Geriatrics;
• Nephrology;
• Neurology and neurosurgery;
• Orthopedics;
• Pulmonology;
• Urology;
• Ophthalmology;
• Psychiatry;
• Rehabilitation; and
• Rheumatology.

The first 12 specialties were rated on data, while the last four were ranked solely based on reputation. A total of 4,716 facilities were analyzed using this information. The hospitals that were ranked regionally listed the facilities that were best in states and major metropolitan areas. The national rankings found that only 137 U.S. hospitals performed well enough to be nationally ranked in at least one specialty; 220 were found to be high performing in one or more specialty; and only 15 qualified for an honor roll ranking. The factors considered included reputation with specialists, patient survival rate, patient safety, and other care-related indicators.

Do Your Research

While the rankings are helpful to consumers, it’s important to understand that they are a starting point for patients. In fact, each year thousands of people are injured or killed as a result of negligence. In fact, New York State ranks top in the nation for medical malpractice payouts according to a study, ranking above Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and Connecticut in this area. Medical malpractice is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S.

According to New York law the time in which a lawsuit may be filed before it is forever banned, known as the statute of limitations, is 2.5 years from when the injury occurred or at the end of continuous treatment during which the act that caused the injury occurred. There is an exception to this rule, however. When a foreign object is left in a patient’s body after surgery, patients must bring a medical malpractice claim within one year from the date the foreign object is discovered. There are other exceptions that may apply so contacting a reputable personal injury lawyer in the Bronx immediately following the incident is always a good idea.

Personal Injury Lawyers: Bronx

The most knowledgeable personal injury lawyers Bronx residents can rely on will help you recover compensation due to you if you have experienced medical malpractice. Personal injury affects millions of Americans each day. Unfortunately, liability is not always clear as these types of cases can be as unique as the individuals or organizations involved. For this reason, if you or someone you know has been the victim of personal injury due to the negligence of another especially if that negligence was committed by the very people that were relied on for healthcare, contact one of the most aggressive and experienced personal injury lawyers Bronx has to offer. The lawyers at the Law Office of Jeffrey K. Kestenbaum provide legal services throughout New York, including Brooklyn and the Bronx and handle several different types of accident cases. Click or call (718) 237-5586 today to schedule your initial free case consultation.