New way to tell if PRMC is charging too much

ADHS Debuts AZ Hospital Compare

New tool empowers patients to
make better healthcare decisions

The Arizona Department of Health Services is launching AZ Hospital Compare, an online searchable database, to help consumers make educated decisions about their healthcare. The new website will allow patients and their families to explore the care, costs and charges of Arizona’s licensed hospitals.

For example, expectant mothers can look for a hospital that excels in uncomplicated newborn deliveries. Patients planning a knee replacement or shoulder surgery can learn how much they would be charged at one hospital versus another.  (In a recent Arizona Republic cover story, Payson Regional Medical Center was the most expensive in the state for joint replacement.)

The online tool will also help healthcare professionals, policy makers, and legislators to develop and implement important health policies and best practice guidelines that will increase the quality of health care, while reducing costs.

WHAT: AZ Hospital Compare Demonstration

WHEN: Monday, June 3, 11:00 a.m.

WHERE: State Public Health Lab Auditorium, 250 N. 17th Avenue, Phoenix

LIVESTREAM: http://www.livestream.com/azdhs

WHO: Arizona Department of Health Services’ staff

The hospital comparison reports are generated by MONAHRQ, a web development tool created by the Federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The information available through MONAHRQ is based on discharge rates and AHRQ Quality Indicator (QI) measures derived from Arizona hospital discharge data.

The report also includes detailed quality statistics and the numbers of hospital visits for a given condition and the average charges associated with that hospital stay.