Missouri Health

Missourians now can access information about how the state’s hospitals are performing on nationally recognized quality of care metrics and patient satisfaction through a new interface on the Missouri Health Matters website. The website also includes new resources on population and community health.

“Hospitals generate and report a significant amount of data on the care they provide,” said Herb B. Kuhn, president and CEO of the Missouri Hospital Association. “However, efforts to make these data meaningful for the public have been uneven. The resources now available through Missouri Health Matters will help consumers identify local hospitals’ performance on standardized quality metrics in a user-friendly format.”

The site features process of care measures for heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia and surgical care, in addition to patient satisfaction data. These data are identical to those reported to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services that are published on CMS’ Hospital Compare website. However, the data presentation is much more dynamic.

In addition to increasing the transparency of hospital quality measures, the site contains data on community health indicators and links to assist Missourians in making informed health care decisions. At launch, the site includes county level data on tobacco use. However, additional research and analysis will regularly be added to identify behavioral health risks in Missouri communities.

Visitors interested in finding a hospital in their community or learning more about how hospitals support the economy can find both by using the new mapping functions. By clicking the hospital icon, visitors can find economic impact data, such as the hospital’s capital investments or full time-equivalent employees; hospital location; and contact information. The site also can help users get directions to hospitals.

“We are excited to offer Missourians this new access to information about their hospitals,” Kuhn said. “Knowledge is power. And, we hope that Missourians will check up on the progress their hospitals are making in delivering high quality care and learn more about their health and the health of their communities.”