2026 Hospital Quality Ratings Released by CMS: Insights and Impact

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2026 Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings. These ratings, ranging from one to five stars, measure hospital performance using 46 quality metrics in five categories: mortality, safety of care, readmission, patient experiences, and timely and effective care.

In South Dakota, Avera St. Mary's in Pierre and Huron Regional Medical Center received "below average" ratings of two stars, needing improvement in areas like patient recommendation rates. Despite demonstrating strengths in efficient emergency room treatment and safe opioid use, these hospitals fell short in cleanliness perception and care quality relative to state averages.

Encouragingly, South Dakota experienced an increase in five-star hospital ratings, with facilities such as Avera Heart Hospital and Sanford USD Medical Center recognized for outstanding performance. Tim Rave, CEO of the South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations, stressed that while the ratings provide valuable insights, healthcare leaders prioritize more detailed data to drive quality enhancements.

Hospitals are leveraging these ratings as opportunities for improvement. Monument Health improved its Rapid City Hospital's score through strategic problem-solving initiatives. Similarly, Huron Regional has formed a multi-disciplinary team and renovated facilities, demonstrating a commitment to patient care improvements despite current ratings. Leaders from Avera Health and Monument Health reaffirm their dedication to integrating insights from the ratings to advance healthcare delivery standards continually.