Today will be having a better insight into the best hospitals in Colorado. Colorado has a population of 3.7 million people, accounting for only 1.4 percent of the total population of the United States.
In terms of the percentage of people aged 65 and up, it ranks significantly lower than the national average of 8.5 percent versus 12.1 percent nationally in 1994-95.
Hispanics make up a larger share of the state’s population than the national average, but African Americans are underrepresented in Colorado, accounting for only 2.9 percent of the total population.
Overview of the best hospitals in Colorado
In terms of population growth, Colorado, like many other mountain states, outpaces the rest of the United States (13.7 percent versus 5.6 percent between 1990 and 1995).
Even though 31 of Colorado’s 63 counties are classified as “frontier,” only about 15% of the state’s population lives in nonmetropolitan areas.
Its urban population is heavily concentrated on the state’s “front range,” which runs north and south, encompassing areas north of Denver and south through Colorado Springs and Pueblo.
Furthermore, Colorado is a beautiful state with a variety of towns. Hospitals are an essential part of any community, and because Colorado’s landscape is so diverse, the state has many hospitals that serve residents from all over the world. In Colorado, there are numerous hospitals, each with its own set of services.
Colorado has 108 hospitals and health care systems spread across 45 counties. They include general (also known as “acute care”), pediatric, long-term acute care, behavioral health, and rehabilitation facilities. Colorado had over 12,900 licensed hospital beds in 2012. There are 73 trauma centers in the state.
Spending and Coverage in Health Care
Colorado’s uninsured rate, at 14 percent, is not as low as the national average of 15.5 percent, as might be expected given the state’s thriving economy. Employer-sponsored insurance is relatively common in Colorado, but the percentage of uninsured remains relatively high, owing to the small proportion of the population covered by Medicaid.
Medicaid participation among the non-elderly population is 5.9 percent, which is less than half the national average of 12.2 percent and the lowest among all states. (These percentages reflect the proportion of people who had Medicaid but no other form of insurance in 1994-95.
In Colorado, the percentage of the nonelderly population receiving Medicaid coverage in 1995 approached 10%, regardless of whether they were also covered by another form of insurance at another point during the year.)
Historically, the government has paid less than the cost of care in Colorado. In 2011, Medicare paid only 74 cents for every dollar spent by hospitals on Medicare patients, while Medicaid paid only 79 cents for every dollar spent by hospitals on Medicaid patients.
Every year, government-owned Colorado hospitals contribute approximately $19 billion to the Colorado economy (including calculations for compensation, facilities, spin-off jobs, hospital and employee purchasing, and other parameters). This figure accounts for 4.2 percent of the state’s total economic output.
- Approximately 420,000 patients were admitted to acute care hospitals for inpatient care.
This equates to 133,000 jobs in hospitals and other businesses (due to hospital and employee spending)—roughly one out of every 16 jobs in Colorado.
- In 2012, more than 8.4 million patients received outpatient care at acute care hospitals in Colorado.
Hospitals in Colorado directly employ over 72,000 people, costing the state more than $4.45 billion in payroll and benefits. During the recent economic downturn, hospitals were one of the few industries in Colorado that saw job growth rather than job losses.
- Almost 62,000 babies were born in hospitals in Colorado.
- Over 1.9 million patients were treated in hospital emergency departments.
- Births, knee joint replacements, pneumonia, septicemia (blood infections), and hip joint replacements were the top five reasons for hospital inpatient stays.
A Summary of the State’s Health Agenda
Colorado is interested in healthcare innovations, especially incremental ones, but this interest must be understood in the context of a fiscally conservative political environment. Innovations that are inexpensive or save the state money are highly valued.
Colorado recently attempted broad-scale reform of its healthcare system. The Colorado General Assembly directed the Romer administration in 1992 to investigate a proposal for universal health insurance known as ColoradoCare.
Also, the governor established the Health Care Reform Initiative office, which produced a ColoradoCare feasibility study. The proposal included income and payroll taxes, as well as a single, government-run purchasing cooperative. These two provisions drew widespread criticism, and the entire proposal was never introduced as legislation. Instead, the legislature enacted private insurance reforms in 1994, as discussed below.
The Colorado legislature pays close attention to Medicaid, but primarily to keep it from expanding further. Health insurance coverage expansions are more likely to occur outside of Medicaid to avoid expanding entitlement to a generous benefits package.
As a result, Colorado has several state-only programs and initiatives, such as the recently enacted Children’s Basic Health Plan (CBHP) and the long-standing Old Age Pension (OAP) program. However, many of these programs are quite small. The state’s challenge appears to be to achieve Medicaid and direct savings.
Some of those funds will be directed to healthcare programs that do not fall under the Medicaid eligibility and benefit constraints. Medicaid-managed care expansion is a high priority for the state as a means of achieving program savings. Colorado sees its Medicaid home and community-based care waivers as successful in lowering long-term care costs.
Hospital Payment
In the late 1980s, Colorado implemented a prospective payment system for Medicaid hospital inpatient services based on diagnosis-related groups (DRGs).
The state lost a lawsuit brought by hospitals under the Boren amendment, which requires reimbursement for the full cost of an environmentally and efficiently operated facility, in 1990.
As a result, the state increased payment levels while also transitioning from a generic DRG system to a payment system based on Colorado hospital data. Although these payment system changes were expected to result in some big winners and losers, hospitals have generally expressed no concern about rates.
According to data from the American Hospital Association, Medicaid hospital reimbursement rates as a percentage of hospital costs have risen significantly in Colorado, from 67 percent in 1989 to 89 percent in 1993.
As a result, hospital payment rates are considered adequate, despite remaining below the national average of 93 percent, and no new Boren amendment suits have been filed against the state. Before the Boren amendment was repealed by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, state officials predicted that the repeal would not affect the level at which payment rates were set.
They noted that overall hospital payments in Colorado have already decreased in recent years (even though payments have grown as a percentage of costs).
Best hospitals in Colorado
Do you want to know which hospitals in Colorado are the best? You’ve come to the right place. We have compiled a list of the top ten hospitals in Colorado.
This list is intended to aid in your future research. These are big decisions to make, and no list on the internet will suffice. You will need to do more research and contact the hospitals you select from this list.
1 .UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital
Address: 12401 East 17th Avenue, MS F417 Aurora, CO
This hospital is the best in Colorado and the best in Denver. It is ranked nationally in seven specialties, including cardiology and heart surgery.
It has a high-performance rating for four adult specialties, including urology and geriatrics, as well as eight conditions/procedures, including colon cancer surgery.
- Porter Adventist Hospital
Address: 2525 South Downing Street Denver, CO
This general medical and surgical facility has a high-performance ranking for one adult specialty, urology. It also performs well in 7 conditions/procedures, including aortic valve replacement and heart bypass surgery. Eighty percent of patients would also recommend this hospital to others.
- Penrose-St. Francis Health Services Colorado Springs
Address: 2222 North Nevada Avenue Colorado Springs, CO
This general medical and surgical facility ranks highly in one adult specialty, urology. It also ranks highly for 6 procedures/conditions, including hip and knee replacement.
- Sky Ridge Medical Center
Address: 10101 Ridge Gate Parkway Lone Tree, CO
Sky Ridge has a single national ranking in the field of lung and pulmonary surgery. It is also considered high performing in two specialties and three conditions/procedures. Geriatrics and orthopedics are two examples.
- SCL Health St. Joseph Hospital.
Address: 1375 East 19th Avenue Denver, CO
SCL Health St Joseph is rated as having excellent performance in six adult procedures/conditions, including aortic valve and heart bypass surgery. Patients rated doctors’ and nurses’ communication skills as 4/5.
- St Mary’s Hospital and Medical Center
Address: 2635 North 7th Street Grand Junction, CO
This Grand Junction general medical and surgical facility is rated as high performing in 5 adult conditions/procedures, including hip and knee replacement. Patients are generally pleased with the hospital, giving it four out of five stars in a recent survey.
- Parker Adventist Hospital
Address: 9395 Crown Crest Boulevard Parker, CO
Parker Adventist Medical Center is a general surgical and medical facility with a national ranking in one adult specialty, lung, and pulmonary surgery. It also received a high rating for two procedures/conditions, hip and knee replacement.
- Parkview Medical Center
Address: 400 West 16th Street Pueblo, CO
This Pueblo general medical and surgical facility is rated highly effective in 1 adult specialty and 3 conditions/procedures. Orthopedics and colon cancer surgery are examples of these.
- UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies
Address: 2500 Rocky Mountain Avenue Loveland, CO
This Loveland general medical and surgical facility excels in one adult specialty, pulmonary and lung surgery. It ranks highly for three conditions/procedures, including heart failure and heart bypass surgery.
- UCHealth Memorial Hospital
Address: 1400 East Boulder Street Colorado Springs, CO
This Colorado Springs general medical and surgical facility is rated as high performing in four adult procedures/conditions, including lung cancer surgery. In a recent survey, patients rated doctor and nurse communication satisfaction as 3/5.
Conclusion on the Best hospitals in Colorado
Colorado has three of the best hospitals in the country, with three of the top 50 in the country. The healthcare system has been improved, and advanced technology is hastening the sector’s progress.
The best hospitals in Colorado have been listed here, with their service and accommodation facilities ranked and reviewed by professionals and thousands of patients.
Since your opinion counts on our platform, feel free to air your view in the comment box below.
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