Hospital Quality Guide Methodology 2006 12
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May not be reprinted or reproduced without permission from Health Grades, Inc.
What is The Leapfrog Group?
The Leapfrog Group's goal is to initiate breakthrough improvements in the safety and overall value of health
care to consumers. It is a voluntary program aimed at enhancing patient safety. Hospitals in several regions
nationwide are invited to complete the Hospital Patient Safety Survey on the Web and share their
performance with their communities.
The Leapfrog Group is sponsored by the Business Roundtable, a national association of Fortune 500 CEOs.
Employers are encouraged to join the effort by committing to Leapfrog's healthcare purchasing principles.
Cost
Cost (the amount the hospital typically charges for treating this medical issue) is indicated with dollar signs.
Three dollar signs ($$$) shows the hospital is within the normal cost range for that medical issue,
compared with other hospitals in the same state. One dollar sign ($) is less costly than the norm and five
($$$$$) is more costly. The Hospital Quality Guide provides a legend showing the range, in dollars, for
each category.
Hospitals labeled $ are at least one standard deviation below the average cost for the state where your
search originated. Hospitals labeled $$$$$ are one standard deviation above that average.
If your search brings up hospitals in more than one state, the hospital's cost is compared to hospitals in all
the applicable states.
Length of Stay
Length of Stay (the time spent in the hospital from admission to discharge) is designated as Short, Average,
or Long, compared with other hospitals in the same state. The Hospital Quality Guide provides a legend
showing the range, in days or weeks, for each category.
Hospitals labeled Short are at least one standard deviation below the average length of stay for the state
where your search originated. Hospitals labeled Long are one standard deviation above the average.
If your search brings up hospitals in more than one state, the hospital's Length of Stay is compared to
hospitals in all the applicable states.
Distance from Search Origination
The distance shown is base on the radius from the center of the area that you entered for your search.
