A Cleveland Attorney Discusses How to Choose the Right Hospital May 25, 2012.

Medical malpractice is a fact of life for thousands of patients in Ohio, but there are ways to minimize your risk of becoming a victim, including how you go about choosing a hospital.

If you or a loved one requires hospitalization, one of the most important decisions will be the choice of hospital for care. Often the outcome of any medical situation, including medical malpractice and personal injury claims, can be dependent upon where the care is delivered. Hospitals are just like any other place of business. Some are better than others, and there are ways to measure a hospital’s level of care quantitatively.

In Ohio, state law requires hospitals to report the quality of the care provided, and those reports are made public. That information from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management will help you make an informed choice.

Some of the questions you need to ask when choosing a hospital in Ohio are:

• Does my doctor have practicing privileges there?
• Does the hospital accept my health insurance plan?
• Is the hospital recognized by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations?
• Has the hospital successfully treated my condition before?
• Is the hospital working to improve its own quality of care?

By making the right choice of where to seek care, you can help minimize the risk of medical malpractice, and even more important, you can give yourself the best chance for successful treatment of your condition.

If You Suffered Medical Malpractice in an Ohio Hospital, Get Help

The Mellino Law Firm can help you if you’ve been the victim of medical malpractice. Call today toschedule an appointment at (440) 333-3800.