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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Wednesday released the overall hospital quality star ratings that now include new methodology in five measure groups.
CMS rated over 4,500 hospitals from 1 to 5 stars, with five representing the highest quality rating.
Of 4,586 hospitals, 13.5%, or 455 hospitals, received 5 stars; 988 received 4 stars; 1,018 received 3 stars; 690 received 2 stars and 204 received one star.
For more than a quarter of hospitals, 1,181, no information was available.
This compares to January 2020 data when of the 5,340 hospitals listed, 396 received 5 stars; 1,132 received 4 stars; 1,108 got 3 stars; 710 received 2 stars; and 226 got 1 star. Another 1,761 had no rating information available.
WHY THIS MATTERS
Several Chicago hospitals earned low marks in two separate reports released this week, while Rush University Medical Center earned top scores from both.
Electronic Reportable Laboratory Result Reporting. Requiring hospitals to report these four measures would help to prepare public health agencies to respond to future health threats and a long-term COVID-19 recovery by strengthening public health functions, including early warning surveillance, case surveillance and vaccine uptake, which will increase the information available to help hospitals better serve their patients, said CMS officials.
The new requirements would enable nationwide syndromic surveillance that could help provide early notices of emerging disease outbreaks, according to CMS.
Additionally, automated case and lab reporting would speed response times for public health agencies, while broader and more granular visibility into immunization uptake patterns would help these agencies tailor their vaccine distribution plans.
By AMY BETH HANSONApril 29, 2021 GMT
HELENA, Mont. (AP) Montana lawmakers have approved amendments proposed by Gov. Greg Gianforte to a bill aimed at preventing discrimination based on a person’s vaccine status that appear to try to address concerns about the bill raised by health care organizations.
The bill would prohibit employers from requiring vaccinations as a condition of employment.
The Montana Hospital Association and other health care organizations argued that the bill could leave them unable to screen potential employees and would prohibit them from requiring vaccines of employees who have direct contact with patients and the public. They said the bill could lead to all employees having to wear masks and for facilities to limit visitors.