A stellar report card for area hospitals

   It may not be the final word yet, but at least the first word on the value of hospital care nationwide puts Buffalo on the map.

   A new study and index by a health care information firm ranks Buffalo Niagara No. 1 in the nation among large cities for the value of hospital care that is provided.

   That's after ranking eight Western New York hospitals as among the top 100 nationwide for hospital value.

   That doesn't mean the Buffalo-area hospitals offer the best possible care money can buy. But for the money you spend, it's the most bang for your buck of any large metropolitan area in the country, it contends.

   The study of more than 1,400 hospitals nationwide scored the institutions using publicly available data on medical quality, prices, the hospitals' costs, patient satisfaction and the hospitals' local reputations.

   All four Catholic Health System hospitals -- Sisters of Charity, Mercy Hospital of Buffalo, Kenmore Mercy Hospital and St. Joseph's Hospital -- made the top 100, as did Kaleida Health's Buffalo General Hospital, Erie County Medical Center, Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center and Mount St. Mary's Hospital and Health Center in Lewiston.

   Not too shabby.

   -- Jonathan D. Epstein

Comments

[Emerald]

It's pretty obvious the people involved in this study and the writer have not spent any time in our local hospitals. The statement " That doesn't mean the Buffalo-area hospitals offer the best possible care money can buy. But for the money you spend, it's the most bang for your buck of any large metropolitan area in the country, it contends." is so far off the mark! The only part of that statement that's true is that it doesn't mean that area hospitals offer the best possible care.......... Care is lacking in most of our local hospitals. Folks, this system is so broken it may be impossible to "fix". If you have a loved one in the hospital you need to stay close by, ask questions and if necessary demand answers. The experiences of family, friends and clients is that our local hospitals may not be the place to heal. The placement numbers for the hospitals mentioned prove that these numbers don't mean anything. What a waste!!!!

[Barton Keyes]

I'm confused.
Over the past year the region has been roiled by Hospital consolidation mandated by the State who claims area hospitals are too big and too redundant with too many beds.
Now there is an independent study saying area hospitals offer the best bang for the buck in the nation. How is that possible if they have too many beds and need to be consolidated to be more efficient?
Am I missing something? I mean besides the contradiction?

[fjp]

.....{..yawn...}

this, is the most -compelling- story, of the day...?

[Sue]

When is the Buffalo News going to stop quoting Jim Kaskie first on everything like he's some sort of Godsend "that's why I came here." He's got 4 or 5 hospitals and only one ranked at the bottom of all other hospitals in WNY.

[Michael]

LMFAO !!

You gotta be kidding me. This was the "inaugural" report released by this company, which means, this was the first time they ever surveyed and reported this type of ranking. And in my opinion, it's severely skewed.

Niagara Falls Medical Center ranked 12th? LMAO what a joke. St. Joes also ranked well.....LMAO !!

I wouldn't go to "Sloppy Joes" with a sore throat.

Buffalo is, and always will be a joke.

All that wasted money on the Erie Canal Terminus......LMAO !!!!!!

People don't give 2 chits about that !!!

Bass Pro, where are youuuuu??

LMFAO !!!!!!!