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SURVIVE YOUR STAY AT THE HOSPITAL CONSUMERS REPORT ‐ MAY 2014 The May issue of Consumer Reports summarized the study results of health in hospitals. The study included 2591 hospitals, using data from CMMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services). The criteria used in the study are listed in the sidebar. Scores were reported for only 28 hospitals - the top 15 scoring and 13 bottom-scoring facilities. The scores for the four top-scoring and bottom-scoring hospitals are summarized below. Clearly, many factors affect patient health in hospitals and no attempt was made in this study to quantize these factors. However, for whatever reason, hospitals in Northern latitudes scored significantly higher than those in the South, as shown in the summary chart below. The highest score (78) was for a hospital in Maine, while lowest score (11), was for a hospital in Mississippi. It appears that the operating time of the HVAC system may be a contributing factor. The monthly average outside temperature, shown below, dictated longer cooling operating times for HVAC systems in the South. Cooling degree day data from the NOAA provides a measure of operating time. For, example, the cooling degree days for Cleveland, MS is about 1800, compared to about 330 at Damariscotta, ME; requiring 5 times longer operation. SCORING CATEGORIES Mortality represents the chance the patient who has had a heart attack, heart failure, or pneumonia will die within 30 days of admission, or the chance that a surgical patient with serious complications will die in the hospital. Readmission represents the chance that a patient is readmitted within 30 days of initial discharge. Scanning reflects the percentage of chest and/ or CT scans that are ordered twice for the same patient, once with contrast and once without. Infections reflects a hospital's success in avoiding infections from center-line and urinary catheters in invasive care units, and infections after certain surgeries. Communications Indicates how well staff explain medications and discharge planning to patients. AVERAGE MONTHLY TEMPERATURE ‐ °F * TOP‐SCORING APR Miles Memorial Hospital Damariscotta, ME 78 Oaklawn Hospital Marshall, MI 77 Aurora Medical Center Oshkosh, WI 75 Lutheran Hospital Cleveland, OH 75 78 78 70 78 MAY 85 85 79 85 JUN JUL AUG SEP 76 77 79 70 90 91 91 88 80 84 82 72 90 91 91 88 77 81 79 72 87 90 90 83 80 84 82 72 90 91 91 88 * Not part of Consumer Reports Study ©Trent Technologies, Inc. Tyler, Texas BOTTOM‐SCORING NOV 80 80 72 80 11 Bolivar Medical Center Cleveland, MS 19 Tulane Medical Center New Orleans, LA 20 Harris Hospital Newport, AR 20 Lake Cumberland Regional—Somerset, KY