Understand what is important to consider when choosing a hospital

Choosing a hospital to treat health issues requires knowing whether the unit has the qualifications and structure to provide good care. Knowing the technical quality indicators can make a difference in these moments so that patients can make an informed decision. In this sense, D’Or Network seeks transparency and, since 2022, has publicly disclosed data from the group’s hospitals.

The company has 50 indicators, 24 for adults and 26 for maternal and child health. The numbers are monitored within the scope of the internal Technical Quality Program, which also works on the development of professional teams. The group’s indexes show better performance in relation to the average of the private hospital network, according to data from reference entities.

This work results in excellent service, such as that received by systems implementation coordinator Anderson Lima, 45. He suddenly fell ill in March of this year, with liver problems. A resident of the metropolitan region of São Paulo (SP), he immediately sought out the Hospital of St. Louis, St. Caetanofrom Rede D’Or, and discovered that he suffered from fulminant hepatitis.

After initial examinations, he was transferred and underwent a liver transplant at Hospital Sao Luis Itaimalso part of the group and reference center for this surgery.

“I was very well cared for in all aspects of my diagnosis, especially in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit). I felt safe with all the procedures and was very well instructed about what was happening to me. All the doctors and professionals involved in my case were attentive and made me feel confident that I had made the right choice for excellent treatment. I feel that I received special attention both pre- and post-operatively.”said the patient.

Assessments and accreditation

The Technical Quality Program is also based on accreditation of excellence, internal and external audits and sharing of good practices among hospitals. Accreditation is important in the process of choosing a hospital because it is a recognition of the competence of the health unit, a certificate of quality.

The certification is granted by independent national and international assessment bodies to healthcare institutions based on the measurement of technical care assessment requirements. Of the company’s 73 hospitals, 64 have this type of recognition.

Each year, a new cycle is completed so that all units of the D’Or Network receive the evaluation. In 2023, 139 independent external evaluators visited the hospitals, working with methodologies validated by ISQua (International Society for Quality in Health Care). They are professionals trained by JCI (Joint Commission International), USA, Qmentum Internationalfrom Canada, ACSA (Agencia de Calidad Sanitaria de Andalucía), from Spain, and ONA (National Accreditation Organization).

Read more about the Technical Quality Program in the infographic.

“The creation of databases, standards and manuals used as references in all States by Rede D’Or has accelerated the process of increasing the safety of healthcare processes and continuously fed back into the system”said JCI Franklin appraiser Lindolf Bloedorn.

Awards

Another good way to get information to choose a hospital is to check the technical awards received by the institution, based on quality criteria.

The Brazilian ICUs project, by Amibu (Brazilian Association of Intensive Care Medicine) with the Epimed Solutionsfor example, highlighted 180 UTIs from Rede D’Or in 2023. The units received the Top Performer (high performance) and UTI Eficiente (good performance) seals.

The result is part of the company’s investment in quality. “The excellence of Rede D’Or is the result of its commitment to providing cutting-edge technology and qualified teams seeking advanced treatments”said the president of Oncologia D’OrPaulo Hoff.

Read more about ICU accreditation and certification in the infographic.

Other awards and rankingsbased on reputation, can also be considered. “Reputation is associated with perceptions, such as the presence of renowned doctors on teams, the patient’s experience at that institution, among other issues”said the doctor of Medicine, master in Administration and teacher holder of FGV (Getulio Vargas Foundation) Ana Maria Malik.

Among the awards already received by Rede D’Or and hospitals in the group are:

However, although significant, these awards should complement the main one: the commitment to excellence, transparency and high quality levels. By maintaining a focus on technical quality, Rede D’Or raises standards in healthcare, standing out as a reliable choice for doctors and patients in Brazil and worldwide.

This content was produced and paid for by D’Or Network.