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Then why is one of the lowest scores across the board, in most every hospital, that nurses do not communicate the status of tests or follow up instructions.

I am sure everyone works hard. Everyone, everywhere work hard.

But they may not be working hard on the things that matter.

Not going to get into it with you, but the quality statistics speak for themselves.

Usually , the nurse cannot tell you the status of a test, because she does not know the answer. Let me give you an example: You are scheduled for an MRI. An emergency bumps you off the schedule. The nurse tells you you may have to wait an hour. Then a second emergency bumps you. It is called triage, the sickest get treated first. We don't know who is coming through the ER door.
If you do not understand your follow up instructions, then you were not listening. Every clinic now gives post discharge instructions, and so do hospitals. If you are not listening, not our fault.
Patients also need to be more independent on their care. The dependency of patients is increasing,to the point that the hospital has to worry about your transportation needs, your living situation, your drug addiction. It would be much easier if every patient was identical, was not needy with their social issues. Identical-just like cars coming off the assembly line. Then you can apply business principles. Widgets don't talk back, scream at you,and throw things at you.

Quality statistics are what they are...a measure of whatever you’re looking at, regardless of whether what you’re looking at has any relevance to patient care or outcomes.

If you think that what the government says we have to ‘measure’ has a basis in medical science, think again. The government picks and chooses things based on whether they think hospitals can be held accountable for shortfalls to cut payments...like infections..which they say are ‘100% preventable’ which is nonsense.

I am amazed that there are people supposedly on the same side of the fence politically as me, who say that they trust the same government to be looking out for their best interests in health care while they rail about government lying about countless other issues and look at a multitude of evidence where the government acts in a manner of self-preservation. This health care stuff is just an act, designed to limit government costs...NONE of it improves patient care.