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Choosing Health Care That's Right For You
William D. PetasnickPresident and CEO, Froedtert Hospital
When you’re ill, you may be tempted to go to the nearest doctor or hospital for treatment. However, while convenience is important, it is worth carefully considering your options before deciding. All healthcare facilities are not alike and in most situations, you have choices. Here are a few questions you may wish to ask yourself when deciding who will treat you for a health issue.
- Does the physician/hospital I’ve chosen offer dedicated expertise in my illness?
- How much experience will be brought to bear on my situation?
- Am I being offered a variety of effective treatment options from which to choose?
- What sort of resources does my doctor/hospital offer along with the expertise?
- Will my care be well-coordinated?
- Will my doctors talk with each other on a regular basis?
- Will I have a care team that includes all available experts on my health issue – in one place?
The healthcare facility that offers the best answers to these questions is usually an academic medical center. What is an academic medical center? And why might it offer you more of what you seek?
Simply put, an academic medical center (there are only about 125 in the country) is usually a large hospital that enjoys a close association with a medical school. In the case of Froedtert Hospital, the partner is the Medical College of Wisconsin. This means all our physicians are Medical College of Wisconsin doctors who not only provide patient care – they teach the next generation of physicians. Doctors who desire advanced specialty training in cancer care, stroke care or another area, can also gain experience in this type of hospital setting. Academic medical centers offer the highest level of specialization in medical care. In addition, they typically have an extensive patient base, along with the expertise of physicians and scientists that support significant medical research.
I’m proud to say we offer all of this and more at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin — the only academic medical center in eastern Wisconsin. Physicians who are nationally or internationally recognized for their expertise, research-driven treatment advances and technology innovations make the best possible patient outcomes a reality. In fact, many new and better treatments for exceptionally challenging diseases are developed and refined right here. With the resources available to us at Froedtert & the Medical College, we offer care that is nothing short of extraordinary.
Please remember: when deciding where you would like to receive care, be aware of your options — and choose wisely. Make your choice a hospital where you may feel confident you have the best minds in medicine on your side.
Source: Froedtert Today Date: October 2007 |
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