Tag: hospitals

Intown Midwifery is one of the first independent businesses forced to close its doors because of the Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center hospital closure, but experts worry it won’t be the last. And that potential trickle-down loss of providers will ultimately make it harder for people to access the necessary healthcare that can prevent later crises—the kind of crises that might land someone in a Level One trauma center, of which the City of Atlanta now only has one.

Healthgrades, a leading healthcare research firm, tracks hospital performance across dozens of conditions and procedures. Here is the list of metro Atlanta hospitals that received a five-star clinical quality rating—which indicates a performance that was statistically significantly better than expected—in one or more areas of care.

Healthgrades, one of the nation’s leading healthcare research firms, tracks hospital performance by dozens of indicators. Here are the metro hospitals that excel in one or more areas. Find the one with the expertise you need.

With additional reporting by Carolyn Crist

Plus:
‣ Advice from Healthgrades: How to find the best hospital for you
‣ Advice from Healthgrades: How to select a doctor

Need knee replacement surgery or emergency help for a heart attack? The hospital you choose can make a huge difference in whether you have complications or literally make it out alive.

Hospitals obviously fix ailing bodies. They're also pretty good for an ailing economy. Even in iffy economic times, hospitals in Georgia gave the state's economy $38.6 million in 2011, according to a report by the Georgia Hospital Association.

Of the eight top hospitals in Atlanta according to U.S. News & World Report, two of them have nationally ranked specialties. Emory University Hospital and Shepherd Center, the top ranked local hospitals on the list, have national areas of expertise.

Earlier this month, when the federal agency that runs Medicare released a database of hospital prices, it felt as though closely held secrets had been unveiled. But soon, there were just more questions: Who charges the most or the least? Why are some costs so high? And if you have insurance, does it matter?

Georgia Regents Medical Center is the first hospital in Georgia—and one of only 20 hospitals in the country—to be named an Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center. That gives the Augusta hospital serious bragging rights over its counterparts in metro Atlanta.

Going into the hospital for a routine procedure could have other risks—especially in Georgia. Because germs spread easily in a hospital setting, patients can pick up infections when sanitary practices aren't followed.