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Austin's Outstanding Hospitals

Choosing the right hospital is a major decision that all of us have to make during some point of our lives. All said and done, research shows that some hospitals definitely do a better job than others.

When it comes to good hospitals, Austin is indeed fortunate to have a lot of them. Although this is the case one should do a thorough analysis before arriving at a final decision. Look for hospitals that are accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Find out whether the hospital is rated highly by the state of consumer or other referral groups. Other things to consider include the success rate of the hospital with your condition and to find whether the hospital in question is covered by your health plan. Get in touch with the hospital’s quality management or assurance team and find how it monitors the quality of care. Get to know more in details regarding the qualifications of doctors working in the hospital.

Did you know?Texas Children’s Hospital is nationally ranked in the top 5 among children’s hospitals by Child magazine and U.S. News & World Report . HeathGrades, an independant health watchdog organization, rated Austin Seton Hospital, South Austin Hospital and St. Davids Hospital among the Top 5% of the nation in Clinical Excellence. In 2004, the Heart Hospital of Austin and South Austin Hospital won "Top100 Hospitals in the US" award.

Good hospitals are generally surveyed by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), in order to make them adhere to certain quality standards. These standards address the quality of staff and the equipment and the particular hospital’s record in treating and curing patients. Consumer groups too publish guides to hospitals and healthcare choices. Go through them and check out the information apart from consulting your personal doctor on what he/she thinks about the particular hospital. You can also call up the State department of Health, the Healthcare Council, the Hospital Association of Texas, and the Texas Medical Association. In fact, the Texas Medical Association is recognized by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education too.

Another aspect to look out for is whether the facility is Medicare-certified and Medicare-approved. While analyzing the healthcare coverage options, just in case you are unable to obtain a group policy from your employer or former employer and actually exceed the income requirements for Medicaid, you can buy an individual coverage directly from a Texas-licensed health carrier. And in case you are not able to obtain coverage through any other source, you can always apply to the Texas Health Insurance Risk Pool or Health Pool, which is a state sponsored program intended for Texans who are unable to obtain insurance from licensed private insurance companies.

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