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Step 1
Decide what type of hospital you need. There are several types of hospitals. Knowing which type of hospital you're looking for will help you narrow down your search options. General hospitals are most common and offer a variety of services. Specialized hospitals typically focus on a particular type of procedure, disease or condition. There are also teaching hospitals, nonprofit hospitals, voluntary hospitals, proprietary hospitals, and government hospitals.
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Step 2
Ask a friend or family member. Word of mouth is powerful. The best way to find a hospital is to ask someone who has been to one or works at one. They can usually give you inside information about the hospital, such as the kind of service you can expect, how the food tastes, and how long the wait times are.
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Step 3
Talk to your primary-care doctor. Doctors typically have a lot of insight about hospitals in the area. Your doctor can give you important information about a hospital's reputation and quality of service based on personal experience as well as patient feedback.
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Step 4
Contact the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS). This organization is the "United States government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services." They can provide you with assistance and general information about any hospital you may be interested in. This information can be accessed via their website (hhs.gov). Their website also offers a helpful hospital comparison search tool that enables you to compare the quality of many hospitals based on search criteria.
