Communication Is Key To Best Health Care
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - You would think that the mortality rates for heart attacks would be relatively the same from hospital to hospital but it can actually vary by as much as twofold between the highest- and lowest-performing hospitals. So researchers tried to find out why.
They interviewed 158 staff members at 11 hospitals at either the top or bottom five percent to see what was happening. Protocols and procedures did not differ among high-and low-performing hospitals, but there were differences in the way the hospitals approached treatment.
Hospitals with better mortality rates shared an overall vision of excellence and had more senior management involvement, broad staff presence and expertise in care. They also had better communication and coordination among different types of physicians. The biggest strength was ability to problem solve across the organization.
Did you notice this had less to do with top docs and more to do with a well-oiled machine? The best hospitals communicate -- that may be the number one skill.
Reported By Dr. Brian McDonough, KYW Newsradio Medical Editor
