1. These are Forbes’ first-ever hospital ratings. Why is Forbes entering this space now?
Healthcare quality can vary dramatically among hospitals. The differences between high-quality facilities and low-quality facilities can substantially impact health outcomes. But it’s not always clear to patients which hospitals are more likely to deliver effective, timely and high-quality care. In fact, it has become increasingly difficult for many patients to navigate the United States healthcare system.
In light of this, Forbes saw a need for high-caliber, user-friendly information about hospitals, and—given that the field of healthcare quality measurement has become more sophisticated in recent years—recognized the opportunity to harness rich healthcare data and synthesize it for users. The result: our inaugural Forbes Top Hospitals ratings, formally called Forbes Overall Hospital Quality Ratings (FOHQR).
These ratings have been designed to evaluate general acute care hospitals in the U.S. and be used as a resource for patients to find hospitals that can offer top-notch, high-value medical services, no matter where they are in the country. And because our methodology is independent, verifiable and accessible, hospitals can use the findings to assess their performance in comparison to that of their peers.
