3. Veterans Health Administration hospitals received top marks. While VHA hospitals regularly report data for measures included in star ratings, this is the first year the facilities have been eligible to receive ratings individually. Approximately 32% of VHA hospitals received five stars, compared with 21% of critical-access hospitals and 15% of acute-care hospitals.
4. Hospital performance reflects safety and reimbursement priorities. Because certain star rating measures like readmissions and hospital-acquired infections are directly tied to reimbursement, many hospitals have continued to prioritize safety and quality efforts over the past few years, said Rick Kes, a healthcare senior analyst at consultancy RSM.
“Despite all the headwinds and the staffing challenges, the COVID-19 emergency and massive increases in expenses, you’re not seeing a ton of hospitals fall off the radar when it comes to star ratings,” he said.
Higher star ratings are also beneficial from a marketing perspective for hospitals that want to stand out in their communities, Kes said.
5. Stakeholders continue to push for more contemporary metrics. Following the major changes CMS made to its star rating methodology in 2021, including stratifying hospitals by the number of measure groups reported and eliminating 12 metrics, some hospital leaders say there’s still room for improvement.
CMS should continue listening to public feedback about its metrics and include new measures that address additional safety and quality concerns, said April Taylor, chief operating officer at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.
“A next step may be to look at, ‘Are there more inpatient measures related to timely and effective care that might be appropriate for the star rating?’ ” Taylor said.
