CMS updated its Hospital Compare database Oct. 8 with new patient experience survey results, and the number of hospitals receiving a five-star HCAHPS summary rating is down significantly since the last update in July.
When the ratings first went live in April, 251 hospitals earned the highest available rating of five stars. When the data were updated in July to reflect HCAHPS scores gathered from October 2013 through September 2014, that number shot up to 336.
Now, however, with HCAHPS data from January 2014 through December 2014, just 207 hospitals out of 3,539 earned a five-star HCAHPS summary star rating.
The following is a breakdown of the new star rating distribution:
- One star: 76 hospitals (121 hospitals prior)
- Two stars: 638 hospitals (475 hospitals prior)
- Three stars: 1,531 hospitals (1,320 hospitals prior)
- Four stars: 1,087 hospitals (1,296 hospitals prior)
- Five stars: 207 hospitals (336 hospitals prior)
CMS plans to update data and star ratings quarterly.
Even though the American Hospital Association has urged CMS to rethink how the agency generates these star ratings and there has been backlash from industry leaders, CMS does not have plans to change the summary star rating formula, according to CMS.
For more information on how CMS calculates its HCAHPS summary star ratings, click here.