How to Use this Guide

Find a Hospital to Provide Care

On this page, you’ll find answers to the following questions:
How do I find a hospital’s contact information?
How do I find out what services a hospital provides?
How does a hospital’s size and offerings compare to the state norms?

Select a question above or scroll down the page.

How do I find a hospital’s contact information?
Use the Find a Hospital link to locate a hospital’s contact information, including address, phone number, and website.

1. From the main page of the Patient Guide, select Find a Hospital from the Hospital Guide menu.
   Four option boxes display.
2. In the first box, “Option 1 – Search by hospital name,” click the arrow button and scroll through the list, then click on a hospital to select it.
3. Select the Next button.
   The full contact information of the hospital displays, followed by a link to the care list. A description of the hospital’s size and offerings displays below the link.

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You can access information about all the hospitals in one or more counties by choosing from a list of county names.

1. On the main page of the Patient Guide, select Find a Hospital from the Hospital Guide menu.
   Four option boxes display.
2. In the second box, “Option 2 – Search by Maryland county name(s),” click the up or down arrow to scroll through the list of counties. When you see the county you want, click to select it.
   To choose more than one county, press the CTRL key while clicking on another county.
3. Select the Next button.
   A list of hospitals in the selected county or counties displays.
4. Click the name of a hospital to view its facility characteristics.
   A facility characteristics page displays that lists the full contact information of the hospital followed by a description of its size and offerings.

Search for a hospital by zip code

You can see information about all the hospitals in or near a zip code by following these steps.

1. On the main page of the Patient Guide, select Find a Hospital from the Hospital Guide menu.
   Four option boxes display. Use the scroll bar on your browser to see all four option boxes.
2. In the third box, “Option 3 – Search by Maryland zip code,” click in the Zip Code text box and type a Maryland zip code.
   You also can choose how wide the search should be by clicking on the arrow key next to the “Maximum Distance (miles)” box and selecting a distance. If you don’t select a distance, the results will be within five miles of the zip code. 
3. Select the Next button.
   A list of relevant hospitals displays. The list contains each hospital’s zip code and its distance from the zip code you entered in the form.  
4. Click on the name of a hospital to view its facility characteristics.
   A facility characteristics page displays that lists the full contact information of the hospital followed by a description of its size and offerings.

Search for a hospital by county map

You can see information about all the hospitals in one county by selecting from a map of Maryland.

1. On the main page of the Patient Guide, select Find a Hospital from the Hospital Guide menu.
   Four option boxes display. Use the scroll bar on your browser to see all four option boxes.
2. In the fourth box, “Option 4 – Search by Maryland county map,” click once on a county to select it. You can also select additional counties by clicking on them. A text box below the map lists the counties you have selected. (You might have to scroll down to see the text box).
3. Select the Next button.
   A list of hospitals located in the selected county or counties displays.
4. Click to select a hospital from the list.
   The main page for the hospital displays, followed by a list of care categories.
5. Click the name of a hospital to view its facility characteristics.
   A facility characteristics page displays that lists the full contact information of the hospital followed by a description of its size and offerings.

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How do I find out what services a hospital provides?

Under Find a Hospital, the Patient Guide reports on the services offered by a hospital for commonly treated medical conditions. The services relate to the following medical conditions: mothers who delivered babies, babies born, heart conditions, lung conditions, surgery, and other conditions.

1. From the main page of the Patient Guide, select Find a Hospital from the Hospital Guide menu.
   Four option boxes display.
2. In the first box, “Option 1 – Search by hospital name,” click the arrow button and scroll through the list, then click on a hospital to select it.
3. Select the Next button.
   A description of the hospital displays and includes a “Click here for care list” link.
4. Select the “Click here for care list” link.
   The screen displays a list of care topics.
5. Select the care topic of your interest from the list.
   A page displays the subcategories within the selected category of care.
6. Select the “Overview of Care Provided” link.
   A report displays a summary of the hospital’s care in this category.
7. Scroll to the bottom of the report to view additional links on the page.
8. Select “Click here to see information about the services (Hospital Name) provides for (condition name) patients.”
   A report displays the types of services the hospital provides related to the care topic you selected. It describes whether the services are available at the hospital, at an off-site location, or at both locations. Check the report to make sure a hospital provides the services that meet your needs.

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How does a hospital’s size and offerings compare to the state norms?

Use the Find a Hospital link to compare a hospital’s characteristics to state norms.

1. From the main page of the Patient Guide, select Find a Hospital from the Hospital Guide menu.
   Four option boxes display.
2. In the first box, “Option 1 – Search by hospital name,” click the arrow button and scroll through the list, then click on a hospital to select it.
3. Select the Next button.
   A facility characteristics page displays hospital information in a table. The middle column show characteristics of the selected hospital, and the right column shows state norms and statewide totals.

When comparing a hospital’s description, keep the following points in mind.

Hospitals that are members of a health care system tend to specialize in certain types of care. You should review all hospitals within one health care system to understand each hospital’s strengths.

A teaching hospital will have medical students (interns, residents, or fellows) on staff. These students will participate in your health care, along with your doctor, while you are in the hospital.

Look for hospitals having the Accreditation with Full Standards Compliance rating. These hospitals have satisfactorily passed the standards review by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, which is an independent accrediting body for health care in the nation. The passing date should be within a three-year time period.

The number of beds in a hospital is reviewed yearly by the Maryland Department of Mental Health and Hygiene. This organization ensures the facility is staffed appropriately to manage the care of patients. The number of beds is also an indication of the hospital size.

If the incoming patient requires specialty care, review the number of beds that are set aside for medical, surgical, obstetric, pediatric, or psychiatric care. A patient having a baby would not want to go to a hospital that does not have obstetric beds, and so on.

Ask for your doctor’s opinion of this hospital and if the doctor is affiliated with the hospital you choose.

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