Quality is the consistent measurement and accountability of medical care ensuring the safety, health and well-being of our patients. Hospitals vary in the quality of care they provide. A quality measure is one way to see how well a hospital is caring for its patients.
The measures are based on scientific evidence about treatments that are known to get the best results. Health care experts and researchers are constantly evaluating the evidence to make sure that guidelines and measures continue to reflect the most up-to-date information.
Percentages may be affected by such factors as how many patients are included in the calculation. There also are specific reasons you should not get a certain treatment. For instance, a recommended treatment to help prevent a heart attack is to take aspirin daily. However, you should not take aspirin if you are allergic to aspirin. Patients who should not get the recommended care are not counted in the measures.
Quality Transparency Dashboard - Hospital Quality Institute
The Hospital Quality Institute (HQI) provides coordination and support for improvement, and harmonizes measures for patient safety, quality improvement and identifying opportunities for focus and innovation.
View or download HQI's Quality Transparency Dashboard >> October 2019 Release
Hospital Compare Quality Measures - Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Hospital Compare has information about the quality of care at over 4,000 Medicare-certified hospitals across the country.
The aim is to help improve hospitals’ quality of care through easy to understand data on hospital performance, and quality information from patient perspectives.
Patient Experiences
The survey asks a random sample of recently discharged adult patients to give feedback about topics like how well nurses and doctors communicated, how responsive hospital staff were to patient needs, how well the hospital managed patients' pain, and the cleanliness and quietness of the hospital environment. Patients are the best sources of information on these topics.
| Patient survey summary star rating. More stars are better. |
4 of 5 stars |
n/a |
n/a |
| Patients who reported that their nurses "Always" communicated well. |
83% |
77% |
81% |
| Patients who reported that their doctors "Always" communicated well. |
85% |
78% |
82% |
| Patients who reported that they "Always" received help as soon as they wanted. |
73% |
64% |
70% |
| Patients who reported that staff "Always" explained about medicines before giving it to them. |
67% |
63% |
66% |
| Patients who reported that their room and bathroom were "Always" clean. |
79% |
73% |
76% |
| Patients who reported that the area around their room was "Always" quiet at night. |
59% |
51% |
62% |
| Patients who reported that YES, they were given information about what to do during their recovery at home. |
91% |
85% |
87% |
| Patients who "Strongly Agree" they understood their care when they left the hospital. |
60% |
50% |
53% |
| Patients who gave their hospital a rating of 9 or 10 on a scale from 0 (lowest) to 10 (highest). |
74% |
70% |
73% |
| Patients who reported YES, they would definitely recommend the hospital. |
76% |
71% |
72% |
U.S. Average percentages come from data found on medicare.gov/hospitalcompare.
Sepsis Care
Sepsis is a complication that occurs when your body has an extreme response to an infection. It causes damage to organs in the body and can be life-threatening if not treated. Sepsis can sometimes turn into septic shock, which has a higher risk of death. Identifying sepsis early and starting appropriate care quickly increase the chances of survival.
| Percentage of patients who received appropriate care for severe sepsis and septic shock. Higher percentages are better. |
95% |
62% |
58% |
U.S. Average percentages come from data found on medicare.gov/hospitalcompare.
Colonoscopy Follow-up
A colonoscopy is one test doctors can use to find precancerous polyps (abnormal growths) or colorectal cancer. Scientific evidence shows that the following measures represent best practices for follow-up colonoscopies.
| Percentage of patients receiving appropriate recommendation for follow-up screening colonoscopy. Higher percentages are better. |
99% |
90% |
89% |
| Percentage of patients with history of polyps receiving follow-up colonoscopy in the appropriate timeframe. Higher percentages are better. |
100% |
91% |
93% |
U.S. Average percentages come from data found on medicare.gov/hospitalcompare.
Heart Attack Care
An acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or heart attack happens when one of the heart’s arteries becomes blocked and the supply of blood and oxygen to part of the heart muscle is slowed or stopped. When the heart muscle doesn’t get the oxygen and nutrients it needs, the affected heart tissue may die.
| Average (median) number of minutes before outpatients with chest pain or possible heart attack who needed specialized care were transferred to another hospital. Lower number of minutes is better. |
n/a* |
71 min. |
58 min. |
| Average (median) number of minutes before outpatients with chest pain or possible heart attack got an ECG. Lower number of minutes is better. |
9 min. |
9 min. |
7 min. |
| Outpatients with chest pain or possible heart attack who got drugs to break up blood clots within 30 minutes of arrival. Higher percentages are better. |
n/a* |
56% |
59% |
U.S. Average percentages come from data found on medicare.gov/hospitalcompare.
* The number of cases/patients is too few to report.
Emergency Department Care
Timely and effective care in hospital emergency departments is essential for good patient outcomes. Delays before getting care in the emergency department can reduce the quality of care and increase risks and discomfort for patients with serious illnesses or injuries.
| Average (median) time patients spent in the emergency department, after the doctor decided to admit them as an inpatient before leaving the emergency department for their inpatient room. A lower number of minutes is better. |
70 min. |
135 min. |
98 min. |
| Average (median) time patients spent in the emergency department before leaving from the visit. A lower number of minutes is better. |
142 min. |
145 min. |
140 min. |
| Percentage of patients who left the emergency department before being seen. Lower percentages are better. |
1%* |
2%* |
2%* |
| Percentage of patients who came to the emergency department with stroke symptoms who received brain scan results within 45 minutes of arrival. Higher percentages are better. |
n/a** |
71% |
72% |
U.S. Average percentages come from data found on medicare.gov/hospitalcompare
* Data listed is from January 1, 2018 - December 31, 2018.
** The number of cases/patients is too few to report.
Preventative Care
Hospitals and healthcare providers play a crucial role in promoting, providing and educating patients about preventive services and screenings and maintaining the health of their communities. Many diseases are preventable through immunizations, screenings, treatment, and lifestyle changes.
| Healthcare workers give influenza vaccination. Higher percentages are better. |
90% |
85% |
90% |
U.S. Average percentages come from data found on medicare.gov/hospitalcompare
* Data listed is from October 1, 2017 - March 31, 2018; data submitted were based on a sample of cases/patients.
** Data listed is from October 1, 2017 - March 31, 2018.
Pregnancy & Delivery Care
By providing care to pregnant women that follows best practices, hospitals and doctors can improve chances for a safe delivery and a healthy baby.
| Percent of mothers whose deliveries were scheduled too early (1-2 weeks early), when a scheduled delivery wasn't medically necessary Lower percentages are better. |
0%* |
2% |
2% |
U.S. Average percentages come from data found on medicare.gov/hospitalcompare
* Data submitted were based on a sample of cases/patients.
Choosing a hospital is a complex and personal decision that reflects individual needs and preferences. You may want to consider a variety of factors when choosing a hospital, including physician guidance about your care plan, your insurance network and more.
Hospital Compare summarizes quality measures for common conditions that U.S. hospitals treat.
Hospitals may perform more complex services or procedures not reflected in the Hospital Compare measures.
In an emergency you should call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest hospital.