CMS launches hospital comparison tool

On April 1, federal officials launched a new program that allows consumers to compare certain elements of the quality of care provided by hospitals nationwide.

Hospital Compare, launched by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, is an Internet-based tool that shows how well more than 4,200 hospitals across the country care for patients with heart attacks, heart failure, and pneumonia.

The participating hospitals report 17 different quality measurements for those ailments, including factors such as whether heart attack patients are given aspirin to prevent a second attack, or whether pneumonia patients get appropriate antibiotics.

Medicare officials say they hope the new quality information will allow consumers to make better informed choices about their care options, and also give hospitals an incentive to provide better care.