Central Washington is home to one of the top-rated hospitals in the state as well as several of the lowest, according to data recently released by the federal agency responsible for administering Medicare and Medicaid. 

The latest update to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Quality Ratings shows a 5-star rating for Prosser Memorial Health, according to the agency’s Care Compare hospital search tool. Only eight other hospitals in the state achieved a similarly high rating. 

“Receiving a 5-Star rating from CMS reflects our unwavering commitment to provide the highest quality health care to our community,” said Craig Marks, Prosser Memorial’s CEO, in a statement. “What started out as a small-town hospital has grown into a community-focused center for exceptional medical care that serves thousands of patients every year.” 

Meanwhile, the region is also home to three of the state’s seven hospitals with a 1-star overall quality rating. Those are Trios Health in Kennewick, Astria Sunnyside Hospital and Yakima Valley Memorial. 

As for other regional hospitals, Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland earned a 4-star rating while Lourdes Health in Pasco and Providence St. Mary Medical Center in Walla Walla earned 3 stars. Good Shepherd Medical Center in Hermiston did not receive an overall rating due to a lack of data supplied to CMS. 

Hospitals also can have a Patient Survey rating, which is based on responses to a federal survey provided to discharged hospital patients.  

The ratings are based on data gleaned from five reports hospitals submit to the federal government that provide information on hospital safety, mortality rates, hospital readmissions, patient experience, and timely and effective care. If a hospital has no measures in a certain category, the weighted percentage is redistributed proportionally to the other measures. 

The annually updated ratings do not impact how much hospitals are reimbursed for providing care to Medicare and Medicaid patients. Rather, they are intended to inform how patients and families can compare facilities along with available services when seeking care. 

Hospitals also have a patient survey rating, which is based on responses to a federal survey provided to discharged hospital patients. Under the patient survey ratings, Prosser Memorial has four stars; Kadlec, Lourdes, Astria, Providence St. Mary and Good Shepherd three stars, and Trios and Yakima Valley Memorial two stars.