Medicare rates hospitals based on a variety of measures across 5 areas of quality into a single star rating for each hospital. The 5 measure groups include: Mortality, Safety of care, Readmission, Patient experience, and Timely and effective care. The overall rating shows how well each hospital performed on an identified set of quality measures compared to other hospitals in the U.S.
It would make sense that The Villages Hospital would have a higher Mortality and readmission rate than a normal hospital due to the average age of their patients. Not sure what safety of care encompasses or how it can be rated. I also know that there have been some issues with the ER at Villages Hospital as it relates to insufficient staff to handle demand. Hopefully, it is getting better. However, I will say that I had surgery at the Villages Hospital a couple of months ago and I was impressed with their overall process, the caring and attentive staff, attention to detail, and the overall care that I received during my stay. It was excellent. It was as good or even better than what I recieved in Jacksonville.
Bottom line for me, I am not sure the Medicare ratings are fair to a hospital that specializes in a single age group, no matter what that age group is!
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