This data, measuring 2001 through 2005, focuses on Medicare patients with chronic conditions.
   HCI rating stands for the Hospital Care Intensity index, which measures numbers of days patients spend in hospitals and the number of doctors they see as in-patients, adjusted for age, sex, race and severity of illness. The higher the number, the more intense is the care.
   The data on days in hospitals and doctor visits is for the last six months of the patient's life.
   The hospitals are listed by HCI ranking, with the highest being first.
Source: Medicare, Dartmouth Atlas


THE HIGH COST OF DYING

South Florida Hospitals