News: CMS updates Hospital Compare star ratings
After delaying the overall star rating update on Hospital Compare in October, CMS has announced updates to the methodology behind assigning the star ratings.
The new methodology is based largely on public input, according to CMS’ press release, and includes four enhancements to the calculations used to determine the ratings, according to the reference documents provided by CMS.
Additionally, CMS added two measures to the star rating calculation, according to the reference documents:
- Readmission Group—Rate of unplanned hospital visits after an outpatient colonoscopy
- Effectiveness of Care Group—Percentage of patients receiving appropriate radiation therapy for cancer that has spread to the bone
CMS also removed two measures from the Effectiveness of Care group:
- Thrombolytic therapy
- Venous thromboembolism Warfarin therapy discharge instructions
CMS intends to update the rating twice per year in July and December. As of December 2017, the current star ratings on the Hospital Compare website have been updated.
Editor’s note: To read CMS’ press release about the methodology changes, click here. To download the reference documents from CMS, click here.