Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Hospital
Asking the right questions before selecting a hospital can significantly impact your care experience and outcomes. This comprehensive list covers the essential questions to ask your doctor, the hospital, and your insurance company.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
- Which hospitals do you recommend for my condition or procedure, and why?
- At which hospitals do you have privileges to practice?
- How many times have you performed this procedure?
- What outcomes can I expect based on your experience?
- Are there alternative hospitals I should consider?
- Would a specialized center be better for my condition?
Questions to Ask the Hospital
Quality and Safety
- What is the hospital's overall CMS star rating?
- What are the infection rates for my type of procedure?
- How does this hospital compare to others for my condition?
- Is the hospital accredited? By which organization?
- What safety protocols are in place to prevent medical errors?
- What is the nurse-to-patient ratio on the unit where I would be treated?
Experience and Volume
- How many patients with my condition does this hospital treat annually?
- How many of my specific procedure does the hospital perform each year?
- Does the hospital have specialized units or programs for my condition?
Logistics
- What is the typical length of stay for my procedure?
- What are visiting hours and visitor policies?
- What support services are available (social work, patient advocacy, chaplain)?
- What is the discharge planning process?
- What follow-up care will be arranged?
Questions to Ask Your Insurance Company
- Is this hospital in my network?
- Is my doctor in-network at this hospital?
- Will the anesthesiologist, pathologist, and other specialists be in-network?
- What is my estimated out-of-pocket cost?
- Do I need pre-authorization for this procedure?
- What happens if I need a longer stay than planned?
Questions About Costs
- Can I get a cost estimate before my procedure?
- Does the hospital publish its prices (price transparency)?
- What financial assistance or payment plans are available?
- Are there separate bills I should expect (facility, surgeon, anesthesia, labs)?
Where to Find Answers
Many of these answers can be found on Medicare Care Compare, where you can compare hospital quality data side by side.
Data sourced from CMS. Visit Medicare Care Compare or call 1-800-MEDICARE.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice.
Important
This article explains how hospital quality data works and is for general information only. It is not medical advice and must not be used to decide whether to seek, delay or refuse care — that is a decision for you and a clinician who knows your situation.
CMS quality measures describe care delivered during earlier reporting periods and are refreshed roughly quarterly. A hospital's staffing, services and performance can change well before the published numbers do.
hospiguide.org is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to CMS, Medicare, or any U.S. government agency, and publishes no ratings of its own.
Before acting on anything here, verify current details at Medicare.gov Care Compare or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), TTY 1-877-486-2048.
HospiGuide.org Editorial Team
Our editorial team explains U.S. hospital quality data using official CMS datasets and government publications. We are not medical professionals, we do not recommend hospitals, and we accept no payment for coverage. Every factual claim is checked against a CMS or federal source. Read our editorial policy.
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