From the 2010 Winter StayHealthy publication
All hospitals are not alike. To find the best care for yourself and your loved ones, consider asking the following questions when choosing a hospital:
Is the hospital accredited by the Joint Commission? 
The Joint Commission is an independent, not-for-profit organization that sets the standards that measure healthcare quality throughout the world. You can check a hospital’s accreditation quality report by clicking on the Quality Search section of the Joint Commission’s website at www.jointcommission.org. Porter is accredited and has even earned the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval.
Does the hospital perform well on state and independent reviews?
Leading independent healthcare organizations provide a useful yardstick to compare hospital performance. Reports that can be found on www.hospitalcompare.gov or www.healthgrades.com confirm that Porter patients are receiving nationally ranked, top quality care. Accolades have been given to Porter in coronary interventions, orthopedics, pneumonia care, and gastrointestinal procedures. Porter was also recently awarded the Blue Distinction for Cardiac Care by Blue Cross and Blue Shield – a distinction shared by just 400 facilities nationwide.
Does your doctor have privileges at this hospital?
To learn if your doctor has privileges at Porter’s hospitals, simply visit porterhealth.com and click on “Find a Physician.” If you are in need of a local physician, Porter’s free Physician Referral Line can help you find the right doctor based on your needs, location, insurance requirements, and personal preferences. Simply call toll-free at 1.800.541.1861. Operators are available 24 hours a day to answer your questions.
Does your hospital demonstrate experience and success with your condition?
While every patient has unique needs, Porter offers an extraordinary range of expertise. A Neonatal Intensive Care unit that has served more than 10,000 babies. Porter County’s only acute inpatient rehabilitation unit. Intensive Care with such exceptional clinical excellence that it compares with worldrenowned institutions, such as Johns Hopkins. Innovative cardiovascular care, including the only hospital in the region to offer lifesaving 3-D transesophogeal echocardiography. Check out your area of interest at porterhealth.com.
Does your hospital monitor its own quality of care and work to improve on its level of service? 
“At Porter we’re constantly evaluating ourselves – to see how we compare in Indiana, throughout the country, and against our own nationwide Community Health Systems organization,” said Rayanna Henderson, Porter’s Director of Quality Improvement. “We’re not happy with ‘average’ results,” she said. Porter evaluates every patient interaction, and provides a monthly report that shows that Porter is at nearly 100% achievement – not just against national averages, but against the leading 10 percent of hospitals nationwide.