When it comes to protecting your health, choosing the right place to receive care matters just as much as the treatment itself. Whether you need an imaging study or you’re preparing for surgery, your choice of hospital can make a big difference in your safety and recovery. But with so many options in North Idaho, how do you know which one is right for you?
Start by asking the right questions. This guide will show you how to choose the best hospital by comparing essential features like national rankings, cost, specialties, and even the quality of the food.
7 questions patients should ask before choosing a hospital in North Idaho
As you compare hospitals in the Inland Northwest, keep these seven questions in mind:
1. How does the hospital perform on national quality and safety measures?
Many trusted, objective websites allow you to compare the quality and safety of hospitals throughout our region. One of the best guides is Hospital Compare, operated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). It assigns star ratings to hospitals based on 45 quality measures, including safety of care, readmission, and effectiveness of care. Five stars is the highest quality rating a hospital can achieve.
Other important safety measures to compare include:
- Nurse-to-patient ratios: This measures the number of patients a nurse cares for during a shift. The lower the ratio (such as one nurse for every four patients on a medical-surgical unit), the higher level of personalized care you’ll receive.
- Infection rates: Groups like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention track hospital-acquired infections and set benchmarks for safety.
- National accreditation: The Joint Commission performs routine on-site inspections and accredits hospitals for safety and quality. See if your hospital is accredited with this Quality Check lookup tool.
2. How experienced is the hospital with my specific condition or procedure?
The more often a hospital and its surgeons perform a procedure, the better your hospital stay will be. Groups like U.S. News & World Report rank hospitals as “best performing” for specific conditions, such as orthopedic surgeries.
You can also learn more about a doctor’s experience by checking their credentials. Board-certified means that a physician has proven their expertise in a specialty by passing rigorous exams. Fellowship-trained means a physician completed advanced, hands-on training within their specialty.
3. What do patients say about their hospital experience?
Patient reviews let you see what people like you really think about their overall hospital satisfaction. Google reviews offer insight into the real-world care people have received. CMS’ Hospital Compare website offers patient experience ratings that are similar to its quality ratings, ranking hospitals from one to five stars (five being the best).
4. What is the hospital’s reputation in the region?
While national rankings help compare hospitals across the U.S., a hospital’s regional reputation will tell you how well they care for your friends and neighbors. Look for trusted, local sources, such as the Best of North Idaho awards that are voted on by people in the Inland Northwest.
You can also tell a lot about a hospital’s regional reputation by how well the organization treats its employees. Programs like Best Places to Work in the Inland Northwest recognize workplaces that make employees proud to be part of them.
5. Does the hospital use the latest technology to improve patient care and safety?
Technology like robotic-assisted surgical systems brings multiple benefits to patients. These state-of-the-art tools guide surgeons during a procedure, offering 3-D capabilities and higher magnification that allow your doctor to see the surgical site clearly. Because robotic procedures are minimally invasive, they’re performed with only a few tiny incisions, leaving smaller scars while promoting faster healing and less blood loss.
6. What are the estimated costs, and is the hospital in-network with my insurer?
Cost is a crucial factor in choosing the best hospital. If you’re covered by health insurance, check with the hospital and your plan to be sure your procedure is covered. If you don’t have insurance or if you have a high-deductible health plan, seek hospitals that offer competitive rates. Also look for hospitals with payment specialists who can walk you through your options and direct you toward financial assistance programs if needed.
7. What hospital amenities matter the most to me?
A clean room, a quiet environment, and patient privacy are three of the amenities that matter most to patients. Another crucial consideration is the quality of the hospital’s food. Hospitals that provide a wide range of nutritious options, tailored to dietary considerations, often rank the highest in patient satisfaction. These hospitals also understand that food is medicine, and that proper nutrition can help you heal faster.
How Northwest Specialty Hospital answers these 7 questions
If you’re comparing hospitals in Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls, or anywhere in North Idaho, here’s how Northwest Specialty Hospital measures up to the factors that matter most.
Safety and quality of care. Northwest Specialty Hospital’s infection rates are among the lowest in the nation, affecting only 1 out of every 200 patients. That’s 13 times better than the national average. We’ve also received five-star ratings for quality from CMS. And our nurse-to-patient ratios are the highest in the region, ensuring you’ll receive the time and attention you deserve.
A wide array of specialty services. We provide care across more than 20 specialties, including bariatric surgery, digestive health, gynecologic surgery, orthopedics, spine surgery, and interventional pain management. Many of our physicians are board-certified and fellowship-trained, giving you access to specialists with advanced training and proven outcomes. We are also ranked high-performing in three specialties—back surgery (spinal fusion), hip replacement, and knee replacement—by U.S. News & World Report.
A first-class experience. Patients consistently rate their experience at Northwest Specialty Hospital among the best in the U.S. We’re proud to rank in the top 10% of all hospitals in the U.S. for patient experience and have achieved a five-star rating for patient satisfaction from CMS for six consecutive years. We’re also ranked 4.8 stars on Google from nearly 2,000 patient reviews.
Care that your neighbors trust. More than a hospital, Northwest Specialty Hospital offers multiple locations across Kootenai County, including Rathdrum, Coeur d’Alene, and Athol, making healthcare accessible. Readers of the Business Journal of North Idaho voted us as the Best Hospital, Urgent Care, and Family Medicine providers in 2025. Our compassionate care teams have earned Best Places to Work in the Inland Northwest for seven years running.
Advanced technology. Our surgeons use state-of-the-art tools, including robotic-assisted platforms like the Modus V exoscope, which provides 12.5x magnification and clear views of the surgical site. Additionally, Northwest Imaging Center is home to North Idaho’s only open MRI machine, an important option for patients who are claustrophobic or need extra comfort.
Cost and access. We accept most major commercial insurance plans and offer competitive rates across service lines, including family medicine, internal medicine, occupational medicine, urgent care, imaging, and our sleep center. Patients without coverage or with high-deductible plans can meet with our payment specialists, who can provide estimates, financing options, and assistance programs to help you make an informed decision.
Five-star gourmet cuisine. Staying overnight at Northwest Specialty Hospital? You’ll stay in a clean, spacious room, with access to a menu of delicious food choices. Our team includes an in-house executive chef, and patients routinely praise the quality of our food on Google Reviews.
Learn what’s so special about Northwest Specialty Hospital
If you’re trying to decide which hospital is right for you, give us a call at Northwest Specialty Hospital. We’d be happy to talk with you and show you why so many people in North Idaho trust us for their care. Call 208-262-2300.