Saint Vincent understands the importance of making informed decisions when choosing a doctor or hospital. There are many governmental and regulatory agencies that help patients make informed health care decisions by providing easily accessible outcome information. The following organizations offer quality and safety data compiled by national resources. 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
The Department of Health and Human Services is the United States government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services. It is comprised of hundreds of programs, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Food and Drug Administration and National Institutes for Health.

HealthGrades
HealthGrades is the leading health care ratings organization, providing ratings and profiles of hospitals, nursing homes and physicians to consumers, corporations, health plans and hospitals. Millions of consumers and hundreds of the nation's largest employers, health plans and hospitals rely on HealthGrades independent ratings, consulting and products to make health care decisions based on the quality of care.   

Highmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield
Quality is a top priority at Highmark. Physicians and hospitals must meet strict criteria to be part of its network, and its QualityBLUE programs reward clinical excellence. Highmark also compares its members' care to national benchmarks, and offers wellness support and resources.

Premier
Premier's core purpose is "To improve the health of communities." Premier collects and analyzes clinical and financial data from its member hospitals, organizes committees of members to make decisions and set direction for the alliance, sponsors seminars and conferences, and shares best practices.

The Joint Commission
The Joint Commission is an independent, not-for-profit organization that accredits and certifies more than 18,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. Joint Commission accreditation and certification is recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality that reflects an organization's commitment to meeting certain performance standards.