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Twelve Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Hospital for Planned Surgery
The questions surgeons, nurses and patient-safety researchers say matter most, and where the answer lives on our grade pages.
September 11, 2026 · 4 min read
About the procedure
- How many of these does the hospital do a year, and how many does this surgeon do?
- What is the hospital's complication and readmission rate for it? (Our grade page shows the CMS readmission and safety counts.)
- Who will be in the operating room, and is an anaesthesiologist present throughout?
About safety
- What are the infection rates for this kind of surgery? (Safety line on the grade page.)
- Is there a dedicated intensive care unit staffed around the clock?
- How does the hospital prevent wrong-site surgery and medication errors?
About recovery
- What is the expected length of stay?
- Who do I call after discharge, and how fast do they answer?
- Does the hospital have a rehabilitation unit, or partner with one? (Our nursing-home grades cover many.)
About money
- Is every provider involved in my network, not just the hospital?
- What will I owe after insurance, in writing?
- Is there a financial-assistance policy, and do I qualify?