8 Factors That Determine the Top 10 Hospitals in the U.S.

Every year the U.S. News and World Report ranks the top hospitals in the U.S. Of the 5,000 hospitals in the country, 720 qualify to vie for top ranking. This is the 11^th year that my hospital UCSF (University of California San Francisco) has ranked in the top 10 – this year UCSF ranked number 7. I’ve moved so many times in my life that I lost count at my 30^th location. My serial relocations have thrust me into many unexpected medical moments within a variety of hospitals across the country exposing me to all levels of care. This includes landing in a hospital in Shanghai while on vacation. The conditions were so shocking that I immediately called my husband at the time to come up to my room and see the conditions for himself. Hospital conditions can be surprising in this country as well, which is why the U.S. News and World Report’s rankings are coveted by hospitals.

I’ve now landed, having settled in San Francisco with UCSF as my medical system. It’s given me an inside view into what constitutes the best medical care, and to be quite honest, it’s quite apparent at every turn. But first I want to start with an overview of what the criteria is for a hospital to rank in the top 10. Let’s start by looking at it from the vantage point of the U.S. News and World Report. The 8 factors for ranking hospital standards are:

1. Quality of inpatient care
2. Level of nurse staffing
3. Mortality rates
4. Patient safety
5. Procedure volume
6. Reputation
7. Technology adoption
8. Patient services

Today technology and medical advances are taking place so rapidly that it’s a challenge for hospitals to stay ahead to achieve and maintain these rankings. From the viewpoint of the institutions, which seek to provide the best care, how do they achieve this? Looking at it from the flip side of the U.S. News and World Report, hospitals must set in place 5 factors, these are:

1. Lack of complacency
2. Patient first culture
3. Affiliation with a top-notch medical school or health science center
4. Focus on cutting-edge research
5. Incorporating the newest and best technology

Mission Bay Community Center, UCSF, interior (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Lastly these excellent standards can be seen from the observation level of a patient, in my case at UCSF. Naturally I expect to be cared for by the best and brightest doctors–that’s a given. It’s all the other details I encounter that add up to the best possible care. These details are a multitude of tiny factors such as clearly visible signage as you exit the elevator to assure no confusion or lost time. When admitted to a department, a mandatory form is filled out in a surprising quantity of duplicated copies, along with duplicated stickers of my personal information placed on both the front and back of every form. This assures me this particular visit’s information will be accessible throughout the hospital and recorded as reference for my future care. When I recently booked an appointment with a specialist I received by email a special, secure mailbox for my records. It was not only password secured but also furnished a wide selection of security images to select from.

While these might all sound like minute maneuvers, they do add up to setting the bar at the highest possible level. And while I have not begun to give enough justice to the UCSF system, it offers some insight to my comfort level in accessing the best care, based on national standards.

What have been your experiences with hospitals?