MA Hospitals’ Unit-Specific Staffing Plans Posted for 2010

The Patients First website, which allows the public to see how nursing units in Massachusetts hospitals are staffed, has been updated with budgeted 2010 staffing plans.  Some 86 acute care, long term acute care, and rehabilitation hospitals have participated, sharing approximately 730 unit staffing plans for critical care, step down, and medical/surgical units; emergency department plans can also be viewed at the site.

Massachusetts was the first state to voluntarily make this information public. The site also contains comments from the hospitals explaining their numbers. It's a great resource for patients and along with the other postings on the Patients First website – which include hospitals' reports of falls and pressure ulcers, among other measures – it gives patients an open and transparent view of the hospitals providing them care.

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