One longtime Michigan hospital is scheduled to undergo a major name change.
What’s really hard to believe is that this Michigan hospital has been around for more than a century. Did they even have hospitals in the 1800s? That’s such a silly question. Of course they did.
That hospital is Sparrow Health System, which is based in the Lansing area. Sparrow Health System will become the University of Michigan Health-Sparrow in 2024. According to health system leaders, the name change is to show that the hospital is now part of the University of Michigan brand.
Back in December of 2022, Sparrow leaders announced they would be joining the University of Michigan’s Michigan Medicine Network. According to a release, that deal included U of M investing $800 million into Sparrow Health System over the course of the next eight years. According to people involved with both systems, the University of Michigan Sparrow will tie in the University of Michigan’s popular brand with Sparrow’s lengthy history. Sparrow has been in mid-Michigan for more than 100 years. For more information on Sparrow Health System and any changes that might be on the way, visit their official website.
Hospital Safety Grades Are Out, How Michigan Hospitals Scored
Choose an accredited hospital.
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Choose a hospital with expertise and experience in your condition.
Hospitals often specialize in particular areas. So, asking how many patients with your health condition are treated at a particular hospital each year can help you decide on a hospital.
Research hospital performance.
Research hospital performance on quality, safety, outcomes, and other criteria. Having information on outcomes, complication rates, infections and even death rates for specific medical conditions and procedures at hospitals in your area can help you choose a hospital.
Look into Hospital Safety Grades.
Leapfrog assigns letter grades (A through F) for hospitals based on their ability to protect patients from preventable errors, accidents, injuries, and infections. Search for hospitals by geographic area, or name, to see quality data for information on medication safety, infections and injuries, inpatient care management, and more.
Find information on Medicare penalties.
You can use a website created by Kaiser Health News to look up hospitals by name or location to find out if Medicare imposed penalties for either readmissions or hospital-acquired conditions such as infections and patient injuries.
Medicare’s Care Compare.
Medicare’s Care Compare website shows their star ratings for hospitals nationwide based on performance. You can also find patient survey scores for each hospital. These scores come from patients who completed the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey. The surveys include communication with doctors and nurses, hospital staff responsiveness, hospital cleanliness, and others.
Look into hospitals that take your insurance coverage.
To avoid unexpected bills, check with your insurance carrier to determine your coverage at any hospital you consider. Also, don’t forget to ask if you need pre-approval, or if there are any exclusions to your coverage.
