Cape Cod Hospital and Falmouth Hospital Receive Top Rating from CMS

Cape Cod Hospital (CCH) and Falmouth Hospital (FH) recently received 5-star ratings from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), a top rating from the health agency of the federal government. CCH and FH were among only 407 hospitals in the U.S. to earn the 5-star rating.

This is the first time Falmouth Hospital (FH) has received a 5-star rating in the CMS review and it is Cape Cod Hospital’s third consecutive 5-star rating. More than 4,500 hospitals nationwide were assessed by CMS to determine quality scores. Both CCH and FH received an ‘A’ patient safety rating from the Leapfrog Group this past last fall.

“Delivering the highest quality patient care is at the center of all we do at Cape Cod Healthcare,” said Cape Cod Healthcare president and CEO, Michael K. Lauf. “Our physicians, nurses, technicians, quality control staff, environmental services and others at FH and CCH have worked tirelessly to build patient-centered culture focused on zero-harm and high reliability. This commitment to a standard of excellence in patient care was recognized in two successful evaluations by Joint Commission this year and these 5-star ratings from CMS reinforce this commitment.”

The CMS Hospital Compare overall ratings system was created to help healthcare consumers choose the best hospital for their care. The ratings summarize a variety of measures across seven areas of quality into a star rating for each hospital. Hospitals report data to be considered in their rating to CMS through a vehicle known as the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program.

The evidence-based methodology calculates scores for seven groups of measures, including, in order of statistical weight:
• Mortality
• Readmission
• Safety of Care
• Patient Experience
• Effectiveness of Care
• Timeliness of Care
• Efficient Use of Medical Imaging

The CMS rating process is complex, with some measures carrying more weight than others and each individual marker being assessed on numerous indicators. Star ratings range from 1 to 5, with the majority falling in the 3- to 4-star range.