Complications & Deaths Measures
20
CMS-tracked
Iowa · Acute Care
Broadlawns Medical Center
According to PlainHospital's CMS star-rating ranking (CMS Hospital Compare overall stars), Broadlawns Medical Center ranks #1467 of 3182 rated US hospitals by overall star rating (highest = #1).
- 3★
- CMS overall rating
- 27th pct.
- national percentile
- #1467 of 3182
- Corpus placement
- 20
- Quality measures
- 6
- Infection types
Data currency: Hospital quality, safety, and patient-experience measures from the CMS Care Compare program (published quarterly), last refreshed May 2026. See our methodology for source dates. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a correction.
1801 Hickman Road, Des Moines, IA 50314 · Polk County · (515) 282-2200
The verdict
According to PlainHospital's CMS star-rating ranking (CMS Hospital Compare overall stars), Broadlawns Medical Center ranks #1467 of 3182 rated US hospitals by overall star rating (highest = #1). That corpus rank reflects a below-median CMS star rating nationally, with 1 quality measure beating the national benchmark.
- 27th pct.
- CMS star rating vs 3,182 rated US hospitals
- #1467 of 3182
- rated-hospital corpus placement
- 1
- measures better than national of 11 compared
- Yes
- emergency department on site
Since the last CMS release
CMS raised this hospital from 2 to 3 stars between its May 2026 and August 2026 releases, a gain of 1.
CMS replaces its file at each release rather than publishing a changelog, so this comparison exists only because the earlier release is kept on file. See what changed nationally.
Where Broadlawns Medical Center sits among rated US hospitals
3 Top 73% higher than 27% of 3,182 rated hospitals
CMS star rating (1–5 stars), bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more rated hospitals. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source CMS Hospital Compare, overall hospital rating · 2026-08-14
Broadlawns Medical Center vs. Iowa and the nation
- Broadlawns Medical C…
Broadlawns Medical Center
3 stars
- Iowa avg
Iowa state average
3.2 stars
- US avg
National average
3.2 stars
What this shows At 3 stars, Broadlawns Medical Center rates below the Iowa average of 3.2 and below the national average of 3.2.
Type
Acute Care Hospitals
Ownership
Government - Local
Emergency Services
Yes
Birthing Friendly
Yes
Patient Experience
17
HCAHPS domains
Infection Types
6
CDC NHSN
CMS Overall Star Rating 60.0%
3 of 5 stars
Worse-than-national profile for Broadlawns Medical Center
Mortality 1 measure
Safety of care 5 measures
Readmission 5 measures
Better than national Same as national Worse than national
Quality Measures
| Measure | Score | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| Abdominopelvic accidental puncture or laceration rate | 1.05 | Same as National |
| CMS Medicare PSI 90: Patient safety and adverse events composite | 1.18 | Same as National |
| Death rate among surgical inpatients with serious treatable complications | N/A | Not Available |
| Death rate for CABG surgery patients | N/A | Not Available |
| Death rate for COPD patients | N/A | Number of Cases Too Small |
| Death rate for heart attack patients | N/A | Number of Cases Too Small |
| Death rate for heart failure patients | N/A | Number of Cases Too Small |
| Death rate for pneumonia patients | N/A | Number of Cases Too Small |
| Death rate for stroke patients | N/A | Number of Cases Too Small |
| Hybrid Hospital-Wide All-Cause Risk Standardized Mortality Rate | 4.2 | Same as National |
| Iatrogenic pneumothorax rate | 0.21 | Same as National |
| In-hospital fall-associated fracture rate | 0.31 | Same as National |
| Perioperative pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis rate | 3.94 | Same as National |
| Postoperative acute kidney injury requiring dialysis rate | 1.67 | Same as National |
| Postoperative hemorrhage or hematoma rate | 2.31 | Same as National |
Patient Experience (HCAHPS)
Experience profile vs. the national average
Source: CMS Hospital Compare, HCAHPS patient survey star ratings.
| Survey Question | Star Rating |
|---|---|
| Cleanliness - linear mean score | N/A |
| Cleanliness - star rating | 4 |
| Communication about medicines - linear mean score | N/A |
| Communication about medicines - star rating | 2 |
| Discharge information - linear mean score | N/A |
| Discharge information - star rating | 3 |
| Doctor communication - linear mean score | N/A |
| Doctor communication - star rating | 3 |
| Nurse communication - linear mean score | N/A |
| Nurse communication - star rating | 3 |
| Overall hospital rating - linear mean score | N/A |
| Overall hospital rating - star rating | 4 |
| Quietness - linear mean score | N/A |
| Quietness - star rating | 4 |
| Recommend hospital - linear mean score | N/A |
| Recommend hospital - star rating | 4 |
| Summary star rating | 3 |
Safety & Infections
| Measure | Score | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards) | 1.653 | Same as National |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards) | 0.893 | Same as National |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff) | 0.195 | Better than National |
| MRSA Bacteremia | 0.793 | Same as National |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy | N/A | Not Available |
| SSI - Colon Surgery | N/A | Not Available |
Staffing & Spending
Unplanned Visits & Readmissions
| Measure | Score | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) 30-Day Readmission Rate | N/A | Number of Cases Too Small |
| Heart failure (HF) 30-Day Readmission Rate | N/A | Number of Cases Too Small |
| Hospital return days for heart attack patients | N/A | Number of Cases Too Small |
| Hospital return days for heart failure patients | N/A | Number of Cases Too Small |
| Hospital return days for pneumonia patients | N/A | Number of Cases Too Small |
| Hybrid Hospital-Wide All-Cause Readmission Measure (HWR) | 14.6 | Same as National |
| Pneumonia (PN) 30-Day Readmission Rate | N/A | Number of Cases Too Small |
| Rate of emergency department (ED) visits for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy | 5.5 | Same as National |
| Rate of inpatient admissions for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy | 11.1 | Same as National |
| Rate of readmission after hip/knee replacement | N/A | Not Available |
| Rate of readmission for CABG | N/A | Not Available |
| Rate of readmission for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients | N/A | Number of Cases Too Small |
| Rate of unplanned hospital visits after colonoscopy (per 1,000 colonoscopies) | 13.2 | Same as National |
| Ratio of unplanned hospital visits after hospital outpatient surgery | 0.9 | Same as National |
Medicare Spending
| Measure | Score |
|---|---|
| Medicare hospital spending per patient (Medicare Spending per Beneficiary) | 0.98 |
Maternal Health
| Measure | Score |
|---|---|
| Cesarean Birth | N/A |
| Maternal Morbidity Structural Measure | N/A |
| Risk Adjusted Severe Obstetric Complications (All) | N/A |
| Risk Adjusted Severe Obstetric Complications (excluding blood-transfusion-only cases) | N/A |
Nationwide hospitals with similar CMS profiles
Peer sets for Broadlawns Medical Center outside Iowa, keyed to the quiet worse-than-national share.
Similar CMS star rating
Nearest overall stars outside IA (3/5 here).
Similar mortality outcomes
Nearest mortality measures rated better than national, outside IA (0 better here).
Nearby Hospitals in Iowa
Other Medicare-certified hospitals in Iowa.
One of 117 Medicare-certified hospitals in Iowa, 6 are shown here.
Adair County Memorial Hospital
Greenfield, IA
No rating Critical Access Hospitals
Allen Hospital
Waterloo, IA
3/5
Acute Care Hospitals
Audubon County Memorial Hospital
Audubon, IA
No rating Critical Access Hospitals
Avera Holy Family Hospital
Estherville, IA
2/5
Critical Access Hospitals
Avera Merrill Pioneer Hospital
Rock Rapids, IA
No rating Critical Access Hospitals
Boone County Hospital
Boone, IA
No rating Critical Access Hospitals
Compare Broadlawns Medical Center vs Adair County Memorial Hospital →
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Broadlawns Medical Center compare to other hospitals on CMS star rating?
According to PlainHospital's CMS star-rating ranking, Broadlawns Medical Center ranks #1467 of 3182 rated US hospitals by overall star rating (highest = #1). That ordinal matches our top-rated hospital listing (star_rating DESC). See /methodology#corpus-placement.
What is the CMS star rating for Broadlawns Medical Center?
Broadlawns Medical Center has an overall CMS star rating of 3 out of 5 (mid-band), below the 3.2-star national average.
How does Broadlawns Medical Center perform on quality measures?
0 of 11 compared measures rate worse than national at Broadlawns Medical Center (quiet worse-share tercile); 1 rate better (typical).
What do patients say about Broadlawns Medical Center?
Broadlawns Medical Center reports 17 HCAHPS patient-experience domain scores. Star ratings range from 2 to 4 out of 5.
What are the infection rates at Broadlawns Medical Center?
Broadlawns Medical Center tracks 6 healthcare-associated infection types (CDC NHSN). 1 are better than the national benchmark, 0 are worse, and 3 are at the national average.
Does Broadlawns Medical Center have emergency services?
Yes, Broadlawns Medical Center provides emergency services.
What type of hospital is Broadlawns Medical Center?
Broadlawns Medical Center is a Acute Care Hospitals facility with Government - Local ownership, located in Des Moines, IA. This facility has received the CMS Birthing-Friendly designation.
How much does Medicare spend at Broadlawns Medical Center?
1 Medicare spending category is on file for Broadlawns Medical Center, per episode vs. the national median.
Does Broadlawns Medical Center offer maternal health services?
Yes, Broadlawns Medical Center reports 4 maternal health measures. This facility has been designated as Birthing-Friendly by CMS.
Read our methodology & full data source list · Source: CMS Hospital Compare · measure windows