A published study uncovered likely problems with hospital rankings regarding DNR orders. Do-not-resuscitate orders neglected by hospitals could cause patients a long and painful life, which could also lead to hospital lawsuits.
Lucky are the patients who are able to choose their hospitals and have time to research their choices, as they would naturally take into consideration a hospital with high mortality rates. However, there is a problem about calculating mortality rates.
Hospital ranks with regard to mortality issues need to identify patients that need investigation. Hospital services need to aid potential patients define which hospital is best for them. Lastly, health systems should allow people to get an outline of how it works.
A recently published study found problems with hospital rankings, while analyzing them with regard to mortality issues due to lung inflammation caused by viral or bacterial infection. A lot of hospitals and medical centers do not take death rates into consideration to some point that patients have orders of do not resuscitate.
Doctors prescribe DNR orders at a patient's request if they do not want to regain life after their beating heart stops. This is an unpleasant matter to consider, but for patients who do not want to live a painful life may consider this prescription. While other patients still want to try other possible constant medical intervention to prolong their lives, others are not interested to sustain it anymore due to prolonged painful living. That is their right as a patient, and hospitals need to respect these rights.
According to the published case study, respecting DNRs can cost lawsuits to a hospital. Accounting for DNR status among patients and in-between hospital variations and mortality rates, only 14 out of 27 hospitals are characterized as low-performing facilities without accounting for DNR status.
In addition, hospitals with high DNR rates means low mortality rates, and vice versa. Meaning, high quality care of hospitals allowing patients to die without medical intervention covers high quality care of keeping patients alive with all possible medical care.
