Overview of Chicago Hospital Rating Systems
When you’ve had a bad, or good, experience at a Chicago hospital, you may be curious to find out whether your situation and the medical treatment you received is unique.
Are the conditions at your hospital really as bad, or good, as you think? How does your hospital compare to the national average? To help patients get answers to these types of questions, various organizations rate hospitals.
We’ve compiled information from the State of Illinois and well as from U.S. News and World report to help you find out more about Chicago hospitals. We’ve also included information about medical malpractice claims and what to do should you find yourself seriously injured due to the negligence of a medical professional or hospital.
In this blog, we’re covering Mount Sinai Hospital Medical Center in Chicago’s West Side.
What You Need to Know About Mount Sinai Hospital
Mount Sinai is a 319-bed acute care trauma center located on Chicago’s West Side. Its emergency treats approximately 41,000 patients per year, including neonatal intensive care, cardiovascular emergencies, and automobile accident trauma.
It is affiliated with the University of Illinois-Chicago and Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. Mount Sinai Hospital was formerly known as Mount Sinai Medical Center and was founded in 1912. Its campus is located in Douglass Park.
Mount Sinai Hospital
1500 S. Fairfield Ave.
Chicago, IL 60608
773-257-2273
www.sinaichicago.org
U.S. News & World Report Ranking for Mount Sinai Hospital
The U.S. News & World Report rates hospitals on numerous specialties including cancer, cardiology, gastroenterology, orthopedics and more. When hospitals are included in the rankings, it is an indication that they meet certain criteria related to their size and the number of procedures they perform compared to the national average.
The rankings are based on data from almost 5,000 hospitals. Hospitals that are nationally ranked in a specialty excel at caring for the sickest, most medically complex patients receiving treatment in those areas.
Mount Sinai Hospital in Chicago is not ranked nationally for any specialties.
It received a two out of five star review for patient experience. This included a 1 star review for how patients felt overall about their hospital stay. The willingness to recommend score was also 1 star. Satisfaction with their doctors’ communication as well as satisfaction with attending nurses’ communication were both ranked as 2 of 5 stars. Ranking for hospital cleanliness and noise levels both received a ranking of 1 out of 5 stars.
- National Ranking: Unranked
- Illinois Ranking: Unranked
- Chicago Ranking: Unranked
Illinois Hospital Report Card
Chicago hospitals are also grated by the Illinois Department of Public Health on the Illinois Hospital Report Card and Consumer Guide to Health Care site. This site allows Illinois consumers and patients to access to information about the quality of hospitals in the state. This information includes:
- the cost and types of services provided at hospitals,
- info about patient safety and health care services quality,
- info about medical staff,
- consumer satisfaction ratings, and
- information about Illinois consumer protection laws.
Illinois Designations
The state has given Mount Sinai Hospital, formerly Mount Sinai Medical Center, the following designations.
CDC Infection Data
Under Illinois law and the Hospital Report Card Act (Illinois Public Act 93-563), hospitals must report a variety of infection types to the the CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) surveillance system. These include:
- surgical site infections (SSIs)
- central line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs)
- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infections
- Clostridium difficile infections
Although infections are prevalent in hospitals, they may often be avoided. If a sickness was triggered by unclean hospital conditions or surgical methods, the institution may be held liable for medical malpractice. The CDC identified the following infections detected at Mount Sinai Hospital:
- Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infections (2019): 5
- Surgical Site Infections (2019): 0, although only 86 procedures were reported to the Illinois Department of Public Health
- Antibacterial-Resistant Bloodstream Infections (2019): 24
Patient Safety Info from the Illinois Department of Public Health
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health’s consumer assessment survey, only 46% of patients would definitely recommend Mt. Sinai to friends and family, and only 50% of patients always received help as soon as they wanted.
The mortality rate for stroke victims was found to be statistically significantly worse than the state average. The 30-day mortality rate for patients with pneumonia was 14.5%, and 17.7% of pneumonia patients were readmitted within 30 days.
For heart attack patients, the mortality rate was 13.4%, and 18.1% of heart attack patients were readmitted within 30 days.
Medical Malpractice Recoveries Against Mount Sinai Hospital
Mount Sinai Hospital has compensated victims of medical malpractice. Records show several notable settlements and verdicts. Here are a few:
$8 million in wrongful death after patient went into cardiac arrest during sedation. Seven minutes passed before anybody attempted to resuscitate her.
$7 million in birth injury where a baby girl suffered cerebral palsy and paralysis after staff failed to identify and prevent birth complications.
$3.6 million for a patient suffering from rhabdomyolysis, a dangerous condition associated with the breakdown of proteins and elevated potassium levels that can lead to acute kidney failure and compartment syndrome. The patient went into cardiac arrest and died after he was given an anesthetic that interfered with his elevated potassium levels.
These recoveries represent examples of medical malpractice lawsuits filed against the hospital. If something similar has happened to you or a loved one, you should consider having an attorney review your case. Other forms of medical malpractice can include:
- Failure to diagnose
- Pregnancy complications
- Botched surgeries
- Medical neglect and misdiagnosis
- Failure to monitor
- Bedsores
- Mistakes with medications
Medical malpractice claims normally involve complex medical issues and require thorough review. If you suspect medical malpractice, call our offices to discuss your situation.
How to Find Out if Your Mount Sinai Hospital Doctor Has Been Disciplined
If you want to find out if your Mount Sinai Hospital doctor has been disciplined, you can perform a license search on the The Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation (IDFPR) database. The IDFPR investigates and tracks disciplinary actions taken against Illinois licensed doctors. You can also look up nurses. To perform a search for information:
- Go to the IDFPR license search
- 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 physician has been disciplined by the IDFPR, it will appear under the Disciplinary Actions section. Types of disciplinary action that may appear includes: 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 site to verify the certification of physicians.
What to do if you find out your doctor has been disciplined and you’ve been injured in their care.
If you’ve been injured in the care of a Chicago doctor who has been disciplined, you may have a medical malpractice claim. To discuss your case with an experienced Chicago medical malpractice attorney, contact our offices today. The Kryder Law Group, LLC, offers free, confidential consultations and will only charge you attorneys’ fees if we recover compensation for your injuries.
Do I have a Case?
If you or a loved one has been injured by medical negligence, you may have a case. To discuss your legal options with an experienced Chicago medical malpractice lawyer, contact our offices today. The Kryder Law Group, LLC provides free, no-obligation consultations and will only charge you for attorneys’ fees if we win compensation for your injuries.
Medical Malpractice Defined
Medical malpractice is professional negligence by act or omission by a health care provider in which the treatment provided falls below the accepted standard of practice in the medical community and causes injury or death to the patient, with most cases involving medical error.
To win a medical malpractice case, you must show that a healthcare professional:
- Owed you a duty of care
- Breached that duty
- Caused you an injury
- That your injury resulted in damages
In order to prove these elements, you will need the testimony of a qualified medical expert who can testify that the defendant healthcare professional’s conduct fell below the accepted standard of care and that this deviation from the standard of care was a cause of your injuries.
Proving these elements can be complex and expensive, which is why it is important to consult with an experienced Chicago medical malpractice attorney to discuss your legal options.
What is the Standard of Care?
The standard of care is the level of care that a reasonably prudent healthcare professional would have provided under the same or similar circumstances. The standard of care varies depending on the particular circumstances, such as the patient’s age, health, and the type of procedure being performed.
To determine the applicable standard of care, courts will look to:
- Relevant statutes and regulations
- Medical literature and guidelines
- The testimony of expert witnesses
In order to prove that a healthcare professional breached the standard of care, you will need the testimony of a qualified medical expert who can testify that the defendant’s conduct fell below the applicable standard of care.
What are Some Common Examples of Medical Malpractice?
Some common examples of medical malpractice include:
- Surgical errors
- Anesthesia errors
- Birth injuries
- Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis
- Medication errors
- Failure to obtain informed consent
How Long do I Have to File a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit?
Under Illinois law, Per 735 ILCS §5/13-212(a), you generally have two years to file your lawsuit for medical malpractice. The deadline for your case will depend upon:
- Whether a loved one passed away
- The date of discovery for the medical negligence
- The date the medical negligence actually occurred
If a loved one passed away as a result of the medical negligence, their estate will have two years from the date of death to file a wrongful death lawsuit.
To learn more about the deadlines that may apply to your case, contact our offices today.
What are Some Common Defenses to Medical Malpractice Claims?
Some common defenses to medical malpractice claims in Chicago include:
- The plaintiff (injured person) did not suffer any damages
- The healthcare professional did not breach the standard of care
- The plaintiff’s injuries were caused by a pre-existing condition
- The statute of limitations has expired
Call today to discuss your situation with an experienced Chicago medical malpractice lawyer. We will listen to the details of your experience at Mount Sinai Hospital and will help to identify strengths and weaknesses in your case.
What are Some Common Damages in Chicago Medical Malpractice Cases?
If you win your medical malpractice case in Chicago, you may be awarded damages for:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Punitive damages (in some cases)
If your loved one passed away as a result of the medical negligence, their estate may be awarded damages for:
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Loss of financial support
- Loss of companionship
- Pain and suffering (in some cases)
- Punitive damages (in some cases)
June 21st, 2022
(312) 223-1700