(MS) - Many people don't research the surrounding hospitals in their area. Perhaps even more surprising is that research suggests there can be a significant difference in quality of care from one hospital to the next, making the process of choosing a hospital nearly as important as choosing a physician.

Unlike choosing a physician, choosing a hospital can be less personal. Oftentimes, choosing a physician involves finding someone you can feel comfortable with and whom you trust. Since most people feel hospitals are all the same, the personal relationship element to the decision-making process is largely absent.

According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the following tips should help you rest assured that should you ever need a hospital stay, you'll be educated enough to choose the right hospital for you.

• Make sure a hospital meets established standards of quality. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) surveys hospitals that choose to participate. The survey addresses most things potential patients would care to know about, such as quality of staff and equipment and the hospital's track record of patient care, be it treating patients or curing them. Hospitals that meet JCAHO standards are accredited. Also, since the surveys are done at least every three years, you can rest assured the hospital has been surveyed pretty recently. If a hospital does not choose to participate in the survey, it would be wise to seek help elsewhere. In addition, with a six-tier grading system, JCAHO provides both good ratings and bad, reports of which are available for free at www.jcaho.org.

• Examine a hospital's track record. JCAHO is not the only organization looking out for patients' best interests. Consumer groups and even individual states examine hospitals top to bottom and provide the results of those examinations to consumers. While these reports are a valuable tool for consumers looking for the best hospital in their area, they also encourage hospitals to get better and receive more flattering reports. Certain states require hospitals share information concerning quality of care, while others do not. Also, consumer groups in most states publish information regarding quality of care and hospital guides, oftentimes making the research part of choosing a hospital no more difficult than picking up a telephone or going online.

• Find out where your doctor has privileges. This can be done simply by asking your doctor where he has privileges, which means the hospital(s) where is he allowed to admit patients. Remembering to ask while healthy is imperative, as you'll want to know in advance where your doctor is affiliated in the unfortunate circumstance you're met with a medical emergency and he or she is out of town or unable to be reached.

• Look for a hospital that's fit to treat you. For those with preexisting conditions, hospitals do specialize and there might be a hospital in your area that specializes in your condition. Certain hospitals are known for treating cancer, while others might have built their reputations on pediatric care. In addition, even more "minor" ailments or surgeries are known to be better performed at certain hospitals than others. Also, certain hospitals boast teams of doctors known for treating certain conditions especially well. All of this information is likely available in state or consumer group reports. If not, ask a hospital how often they treat conditions similar to yours or perform surgeries you'll be needing. Research has shown that the more often a surgery is performed, the better a hospital gets at performing it. EL066963

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