Right Choice Index

Page Contents

Advanced medicine

When you need
advanced medicine

Experts in teamwork



Site Contents

Patients & visitors

Medical professionals

Yale-New Haven
Children's Hospital

General information

Calendar

Online resource

Press information

Phone Numbers

Directory assistance
(203) 688-4242

Patient Information
(203) 688-4177

Adult emergency
(203) 688-2222

Children's emergency
(203) 688-3333

Admitting
(203) 688-2221

Children's admitting
(203) 688-3331

Psychiatric admitting
(203) 688-9907


Mailing address:

Yale-New Haven Hospital
20 York Street
New Haven, CT 06504

When Should You Seek Advanced Medicine?

People recognize that all hospitals and physicians are not equal. And many studies show Americans often do not receive the most effective medical care. For simple medical problems, any qualified doctor or accredited hospital may do, but for serious health problems, patients benefit from being treated by physicians and hospitals that are actively advancing the state of health care.

What is advanced medicine?
Advanced medicine is simply the most effective patient care available. It is usually found at hospitals and medical centers that are constantly pushing the boundaries of what can be done through medical research and quality improvement projects. It usually means the adoption of new technology, new processes, new expertise, new systems and new patient care programs. Because medicine and patient care are constantly advancing, picking the right medical center is important.

Some of the signs to look for include:

• Are new technologies being developed and introduced?
• Are the standards of care constantly improving?
• Are new patient care programs and centers being developed?
• Do large numbers of expert physicians, nurses and technicians already practice there?
• Is medical innovation enhanced by ongoing medical research?
• Is information and advice on all options provided to you?
• Are there systems in place to ensure the safety and ethical use of new treatments or tests?

When do you need advanced medicine?

• You have a heart, cancer, neurological or digestive problem;
• You need surgery, especially high-risk procedures;
• You have complex or high-risk medical problems, multiple medical problems, undiagnosed medical problems, rare or unusual medical problems or problems that have not responded to treatment;
• You need a second opinion because you are not sure of treatment options;
• You need a transfer to a more advanced hospital;
• You need technology or expertise not available locally;
• You need an expert physician; or
• You're worried about possible complications.

Benefits of advanced medicine

• More likely to receive appropriate, comprehensive health information
• More likely to be correctly diagnosed sooner and be treated correctly the first time
• More likely to recover more quickly
• More likely to understand potential side effects of drugs and treatments
• When unexpected or uncommon complications appear, less likely to need a transfer to a hospital that provides advanced medicine
• Confidence and peace of mind

Advanced medicine organizations play major role in improving medicine
The significant increases in medical care over the past 30 years have been led by a small number of advanced medicine organizations like Yale-New Haven Hospital and its physicians. Organizations like Yale-New Haven Hospital play a major role in providing new value-added therapies and new products to improve health care. They help speed the discovery, development and application of new services and programs. The therapies being developed and used today at Yale-New Haven Hospital will be used at other hospitals two or three years from now.

Experts in Teamwork
Advanced medicine hospitals allow expert physicians, nurses and technicians to provide patient care in an environment that encourages communication, teamwork, innovation and continuous improvement. On-the-spot referrals and consultations from different physician experts enhance the quality of care.

Yale-New Haven Hospital Facts

• Has continuously introduced advances in health care since 1826
• Has a Level 1 Trauma Center, chest pain center and acute stroke program to take care of the most severe emergencies
• Has an emergency ambulance service to transport very sick patients
• Each year handles over 2,000 hospital transfers of critically sick patients from other hospitals
• Recognized in U.S. News & World Report as one of America's best hospitals
• Places high value on teaching patients to understand and manage their health problems

Last revised: March 5, 2004 (cfs)

Home page URL: http://www.ynhh.org

All information is intended for your general knowledge and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should seek prompt medical care for any specific health issues and consult your physician before starting a new fitness regimen.