Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Check out a directory of hospitals in Michigan

Get information about hospitals in your area including size, rankings for patient care and safety and specialty services.

I recommend: Get information from the Joint Commission, an independent, non-profit organization the accredits hospitals and other health care organizations. MedlinePlus, a service of the National Library of Medicine, provides a database of hospitals. The Michigan Center for Rural Health provides a list of Critical Access Hospitals. Members of the Critical Access Hospitals program are small rural hospitals that must meet guidelines to get Medicare reimbursements. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provides a list of veterans hospitals.

Find a Michigan medical center that provides trauma services

A trauma center provides emergency care for accidents and other traumas 24 hours per day. Trauma centers are ranked either level one or level two based on their facilities and equipment.

I recommend: Bronson Methodist Hospital and Borgess Medical Center, part of the Borgess Health network, are level one trauma centers. They are accredited by the Society of Chest Pain Centers, a non-profit society focused on cardiac health.

Become familiar with special services provided by hospitals in MI

Some hospitals provide specialized functions, such as pediatric care and rehabilitation services. A pediatric hospital provides care for babies and children, particularly difficult cases. Rehabilitation hospitals help a patient recover physical, mental and sensory skills lost because of a disease or injury.

I recommend: C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, part of the University of Michigan Health System, ranks high in pediatric specialty categories in the annual report by U.S. News and World Report. The Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department at St. Mary Mercy Hospital provides a variety of inpatient and physical therapy services for patients with injuries, musculo-skeletal disorders and neurological problems.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When you are admitted to a Michigan health facility, make sure your medical team is aware of your medical history, especially what medicines you take.
• •  Find out if you should take your regular prescription medicine while you're in an MI hospital. Keep a list of medicines you take. When given medication, make sure it's part of your regimen. If it isn't, find out why it's being administered.