How to Use this Guide

The Patients Guide can help you to make an informed decision when choosing a hospital, as long as you know how to use it. This section assists you with accessing and understanding the information on this website. To begin, select one of the following topics:

What’s On This Site?
What type of information is on this website?
How do I find information on the website?

Compare Hospitals for Performance
How do I compare all Maryland hospitals to find the best hospitals for treating a medical condition?
How do I compare all Maryland hospitals for giving a recommended treatment (quality measure)?
How do I compare the size and offerings of two or more hospitals?

Find a Hospital to Provide Care
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?

Learn about a Hospital’s Experience in Providing Care
How do I find how frequently a hospital provides care for a medical condition?
How do I find how frequently a hospital performs recommended treatments for heart attacks, congestive heart failure, and pneumonia?
How do I see if a hospital’s performance has improved over time?

Prepare to go to a Hospital
How do I learn more about best practices to treat heart attacks, heart failure, and pneumonia?
How can I prepare to talk with my doctor?

Find More Help
Where can I find more help to understand the information in the Patient Guide?

Select one of the topics above to get instructions. Select Patient Guide to return to the main page.

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