Tips On Choosing A Hospital After Moving To A New City

Do you need or does someone you love need to make frequent trips to the hospital? Are you going to be moving to a new city? If you're moving to a city away from family and friends, it can seem challenging trying to decide on a new hospital for your treatments. Here are some recommendations on things to look for:

Distance: The hospital closest to your home may be the best for your needs, but don't discount hospitals that are a little further away. However, you should think about how much time you'll end up spending on commuting. If your condition requires hospital visits more than once a week, you probably don't want to travel to a hospital that is more than 30 minutes away. If your visits are once a month or once every other month, traveling an hour or two each way may not be so bad. You should also consider how you'll get to the hospital if your vehicle breaks down or during inclement weather.

Experienced doctors: As you probably no doubt already realize, not all hospitals are equal when it comes to staff. Some hospitals can afford to hire doctors that have been in practice for many years, while other hospitals may be staffed mainly by new graduates. If your condition is somewhat rare, you may be more comfortable with doctors that have more experience. If your treatment is relatively routine, like dialysis, you may be fine with a less experienced doctor performing the treatment.

Make sure to ask the hospital staff how many times they've performed or how long they've been performing the treatment you'll be receiving. 

Comfortable surroundings: Some hospitals have sparse and utilitarian decorations. Their designers have chosen function over form. But if you're going to be spending a significant amount of time being treated, you may prefer to have more home-like furnishings. If this is important to you, find out if you can tour the treatment and recovery areas before you settle on any hospital. This will allow you to compare the decor of two or more otherwise similar hospitals.

Technology: Some hospitals have only basic equipment available. If, for example, you need an MRI during the course of your treatment, you may need to be driven or flown to another hospital. Even if you're covered by insurance, this can add to your hospital bill. While no hospital can have every single piece of equipment available, ask the doctors if things like MRIs and CAT scans will be done in-house or if you will need to go elsewhere.

(For more information, contact Peninsula Community Health Services- Medical (Cottonwood) or another practice)