August 27, 2024- Ascension has announced its highest-ever average score in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) 2024 Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings, released on July 31. These ratings, which assess quality of care, patient safety, and patient experience, are essential for patients and families making informed healthcare decisions.
The CMS Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings are derived from 46 publicly reported quality measures, categorized into Mortality, Patient Experience, Readmission, Safety of Care, and Timely & Effective Care. These measures are summarized into a single star rating, with five stars indicating the highest level of hospital performance. Hospitals participating in CMS programs must collect data for these measures, which are reported on Care Compare.
In 2024, based on data from 2,847 hospitals, the national average star rating declined from 3.19 stars in 2023 to 3.13 stars. However, Ascension hospitals not only surpassed their all-time performance but also exceeded the national average, improving their average star rating to 3.48 stars in 2024, up from 3.27 in 2023. This significant improvement underscores the enhanced quality of care provided by Ascension.