Hospital Ratings Help Chicago Residents Choose the Right Healthcare Facility
While most people don’t like to think about it, choosing the right hospital is an important decision. After all, when you or a loved one is sick or injured, you want to be sure that you’re getting the best possible care. But how can you tell which hospitals are the best?
One way to get an idea of a hospital’s quality is to look at its rating to see how each hospital performs. However, it’s important to keep in mind that no one rating system is perfect, and that different hospitals may excel in different areas.
You may also be searching for information on Chicago hospitals to determine whether the care you received meets or exceeds the Illinois average. We’ve compiled information about hospitals in Cook County and the surrounding area from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) as well as the US News and World Report. This article focuses on Holy Cross Hospital.
Holy Cross Hospital is a 264-bed Sinai Chicago-affiliated community hospital located in Chicago’s Chicago Lawn neighborhood. It was founded in 1928, and expanded its emergency department in 2009.
Plans to open a Level 1 trauma center were shelved after funding was awarded to the University of Chicago instead. Holy Cross treats approximately 45,000 emergency room patients each year. Its contact information is:
U.S. News & World Report Ranks Holy Cross Hospital in Chicago
The U.S. News & World Report ranks hospitals in the United states based on information from nearly 5,000 hospitals. They are compared based on how they perform for specialties including cardiology, neurology, pulmonology, and more. When a hospital is nationally ranked in a specialty, this means that they are adept at caring for the most medically complex patients with these conditions.
Holy Cross Hospital in Chicago, IL is a general medical and surgical facility. It is rated high performing in 1 adult procedure or condition. It also scored one out of five stars for patient experience.
National Ranking: Unranked
Illinois Ranking: Unranked
Chicago Ranking: Unranked
Illinois Department of Public Health Hospital Report Card
Chicago hospitals are also graded by the IDPH on the Illinois Hospital Report Card and Consumer Guide to Health Care site. The information on this site allows consumers and patients to learn about the quality of care in hospitals in Illinois. On the site, you can find information about:
the cost and types of services provided,
information about patient safety,
hospital staffing information,
consumer satisfaction survey ratings, and
information about Illinois consumer protection laws.
Hospitals are required by Illinois law and the Hospital Report Card Act (Illinois Public Act 93-563) to track and report certain types of infections to the CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN). These infections include:
surgical site infections (SSIs)
central line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs)
Although infections acquired in hospitals occur, they may frequently be avoided. The hospital might be held responsible for medical malpractice if a sickness was triggered by unclean hospital surroundings or surgical procedures. Holy Cross Hospital reported the following infections:
Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infections (2019): 1, although the sample size was low (297)
Illinois Department of Public Health Patient Safety Info
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health’s consumer assessment survey, only 45% of patients would definitely recommend the hospital to friends and family, and 53% of patients always received help as soon as they wanted.
The mortality rate for heart failure patients is 10.2%, and 24.5% of heart failure patients had to be readmitted within 30 days of discharge.
For pneumonia patients, the mortality rate is 17.1%, and 16.5% of pneumonia patients had to be readmitted within 30 days of discharge.
Medical Malpractice Recoveries Against Holy Cross Hospital
Holy Cross Hospital has compensated victims of medical malpractice. Records show several notable settlements and verdicts. Here are a few:
$13 million recovery for the death of newborn after Holy Cross doctors and nurses failed to identify and correct a treatable birth defect.
$10.5 million for the death of a patient on the operating table. The patient was scheduled for routine hip replacement surgery, but Holy Cross doctors struggled to insert a breathing tube, causing her airway to swell shut. She suffered brain damage and cardiac arrest when her oxygen levels rapidly depleted.
$8 million for failure to monitor a patient with asthma. The patient eventually went into respiratory arrest, had a stroke, and went into a coma for four years before passing.
These recoveries are examples of medical malpractice claims filed against the institution. If you or a loved one has suffered a similar tragedy, you should seek legal counsel immediately. Other types of medical negligence can include:
misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis
birth injuries
medication errors
anesthesia errors
Medical malpractice claims normally involve complex medical issues and require thorough review. If you suspect medical malpractice, call our offices to discuss your situation.
Holy Cross Hospital has had many significant medical malpractice cases in recent years. If you suffered similar injuries to the examples above, you may have a claim.
How to Find Out if Your Holy Cross Hospital Doctor Has Been Disciplined
To find out if your doctor has been subject to disciplinary action in Illinois, perform an online license search on the The Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation (IDFPR) site. The IDFPR tracks and investigates actions taken against licensed medical practitioners in the state of Illinois. To start your search for information:
Select “Medical Board” under the License Type dropdown menu
Enter your doctor’s first and last name
Press “Detail” button next to your doctor’s name to see details
If your doctor has been disciplined by the IDFPR, it will appear under the Disciplinary Actions section. There are many types of disciplinary action that may appear including: a reprimand; probation; suspension; summary or temporary suspension; revocation; refuse to renew; relinquished, surrendered, or permanent inactive; or fines.
You can also visit the American Board of Medical Specialties website to verify the certification of your medical practitioner.
What to Do If You Suspect Medical Negligence at Holy Cross Hospital
If you or a loved one has been injured due to the negligence of a doctor or medical staff member, it’s important to understand your legal rights and options. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries, medical bills, and other damages. An experienced medical malpractice attorney can review your case and help you determine the best course of action when you’ve been seriously injured while in the hospital.
How to Prove Medical Malpractice
Medical malpractice is a type of professional negligence where a medical professional fails to provide the standard of care that a reasonably competent professional would have provided in a similar situation, and as a result, the patient is harmed. In order to win a medical malpractice case, you will need to prove four elements:
Duty
The medical professional had a duty to provide care to the patient. This may be established by showing that there was a doctor-patient relationship.
Breach
The medical professional breached the duty of care owed to the patient. This may be shown by demonstrating that the medical professional deviated from the standard of care that a reasonably competent professional would have provided in a similar situation.
Causation
The breach of duty must have caused the patient’s injuries. This may be proven by showing that the medical professional’s negligence was a factor in causing the patient’s injuries.
Damages
The patient must have suffered damages as a result of the medical professional’s breach of duty. This may be shown by presenting evidence of the patient’s injuries and the resulting economic and non-economic damages.
If you can prove all four of these elements, you may be able to recover compensation for your injuries. This can be a complicated process and will likely require expert testimony to establish.
That’s why it’s important to work with an experienced medical malpractice attorney who can help you investigate your claim against the hospital or physician and build a strong case.
Compensation in a Medical Malpractice Case
If you are successful in proving medical malpractice against a hospital or it’s doctors or nurses, you may be entitled to recover a wide range of damages. These can be categorized as either economic or non-economic damages.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are those that have a specific monetary value attached to them, such as medical bills, lost wages, and future lost earnings.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are more subjective and may include things like pain and suffering, emotional distress, or loss of enjoyment of life.
In some cases, you may also be entitled to punitive damages. Punitive damages are designed to punish the negligent party and deter future misconduct. They are typically only awarded in cases where the defendant’s conduct was particularly egregious.
The amount of compensation you may be entitled to recover will depend on a number of factors, including the severity of your injuries, the impact on your life, and the state in which you live.
An experienced medical malpractice attorney can help you understand the potential value of your case and fight for the full amount of compensation you deserve.
Contact a Holy Cross Hospital Medical Malpractice Attorney
If you or a loved one has been injured due to the negligence of an attending physician or hospital staff member, you may be entitled to compensation. The experienced medical malpractice attorneys at The Kryder Law Group, LLC can help.
We have a proven track record of success in these complex cases and are committed to fighting for the full amount of compensation our clients deserve.
A Chicago medical malpractice attorney from our law firm will help you understand your legal options and fight for the compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation. During the consultation, we can:
Review your case and answer any questions you have
Explain the medical malpractice claim process
Discuss the evidence we will need to build a strong case
Answer any other questions you may have about your legal options
You deserve an experienced medical malpractice attorney on your side. Contact us today to get started.
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June 17th, 2022
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