Despite lists, experts disagree on the ‘best hospitals’

By Jayne O’Donnell, USA TODAY  September 28, 2012  –  Nearly 40% of consumers surveyed last year said they use hospital ratings to choose a health care facility, but there’s little agreement between the lists, raising questions about their value.

Consumers pore over reviews and ratings of everything from cars to washing machines, but it’s doctor and hospital rankings that may be the most confusing and controversial. At least 15 different groups rank health care organizations, but no two judge them the same way, which leads to widely divergent results, says Brent James, a medical doctor who is chief quality officer at Intermountain Healthcare in Salt Lake City.  Read more