The Leapfrog Group, which graded 3,000 hospitals on how well they prevent medical errors, accidents and infection, measures nurse and doctor communication, hospital staff responsiveness and communication about medicines.
More than one-third of large employers will offer a high-performance, narrow-network or other alternative medical plan designed to steer employees to quality, cost-efficient care next year.
Through the Rural Health Clinic Accreditation Program, rural health clinics now have a framework to standardize the quality of primary care, focusing on emergency preparedness, infection control and patient rights.