Patients' Bill of Rights
As a patient in a Minnesota hospital, certain rights have been afforded to you ... more.

Health Care Directives
As a patient in a hospital, you have a right to make your own treatment decisions. A federal law called "The Patient Self-Determination Act of 1990" makes sure you are told about your rights ... more.

Post-Partum Depression:Researchers believe that at least one in ten new mothers experience post-partum depression and that it is one of the most common complications during and after pregnancy: [PDF].

"Patient Safety: Your Role"
Here are some questions and concerns patients should address to their family, physicians or nurses both at a hospital and clinic. Practical suggestions include taking notes about your care, sharing medical information with caregivers, bringing a family member to serve as an advocate and double checking prescriptions ... more.

Five Ways Patients Can Improve their Safety
These five tips can help patients, their families, and their health care providers improve safety through more effective communication ... more.

Minnesota Hospital Price Check: www.mnhospitalpricecheck.org
Review and compare price information for your local hospital. Find Minnesota hospital prices for the 50 most common inpatient hospitalizations and the 25 most common same-day procedures.

Minnesota Hospital Quality Report: www.mnhospitalquality.org
This Web site provides details about the quality of care in Minnesota hospitals for four of the most common and costly causes of hospitalization: heart attacks, heart failure, pneumonia and surgical care. It provides information specific to Minnesota hospitals for one year at a time and is updated quarterly. Statistics on additional causes, for example, surgical infection prevention measures, will be added over time.

Minnesota hospitals voluntarily reported their statistics on how often they have provided adults the recommended care measures, which include, for example, whether a heart attack patient was given aspirin upon arrival at the hospital or whether a blood test was performed for a pneumonia patient. Visit www.mnhospitalquality.org.

HospitalCompare Web site: www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov
Another resource for accessing quality information about Minnesota hospitals online: www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov. This document addresses questions you may have about the HospitalCompare data: [DOC].