We learned earlier this week that Pennsylvania U.S. Congressman John Murtha died as a result of complications from recent gallbladder removal surgery. A few days later, it was reported that the deadly “complications” were followed by a surgical cut to his intestines that caused an infection and further complications, leading to the Congressman’s death at age 77.

Our colleagues at Consumers Union’s Safe Patient Project highlight the dirty truth behind many errors and infections: Many are preventable by implementing a few basic practices, such as the simple checklist advocated by surgeon Atul Gawande, M.D.  Better planning and communication when patients are discharged is another way to keep patients safer and reduce high readmission rates.

It might feel like few of us have much choice when it comes to hospital safe, but that’s not entirely true. There are some ways you can make sure you’re choosing a good hospital and there’s a lot of public data available. While hard to wade through, this data can tell you a lot about your local hospitals. Some are doing an excellent job of protecting patients from hospital acquired infections, but others simply are not. Before you need a hospital, research those near you to find out how they stack up.

—Trisha Brandon, online editor

Want to know more? Our Hospital Ratings analyze public and private data on thousands of hospitals across the country, turning them into easy-to-understand rating based on patient experiences, infection rates and how well hospitals follow the steps to prevent infection.