Complications & Deaths Measures
20
CMS-tracked
California · Acute Care
Kern Medical Center
According to PlainHospital's CMS star-rating ranking (CMS Hospital Compare overall stars), Kern Medical Center ranks #3074 of 3182 rated US hospitals by overall star rating (highest = #1).
- 1★
- CMS overall rating
- #3074 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.
1700 Mount Vernon Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93306 · Kern County · (661) 326-2000
The verdict
According to PlainHospital's CMS star-rating ranking (CMS Hospital Compare overall stars), Kern Medical Center ranks #3074 of 3182 rated US hospitals by overall star rating (highest = #1). Overall CMS stars: 1/5 (below the 3.2-star national average).
- 1 / 5
- CMS overall star rating
- #3074 of 3182
- rated-hospital corpus placement
- 1
- measures better than national of 18 compared
- Yes
- emergency department on site
Since the last CMS release
CMS lowered this hospital from 2 to 1 stars between its May 2026 and August 2026 releases, a fall 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 Kern Medical Center sits among rated US hospitals
1 Top 100% higher than 0% of 3,182 rated hospitals
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, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source CMS Hospital Compare, overall hospital rating · 2026-08-14
Kern Medical Center vs. California and the nation
- Kern Medical Center 1
Kern Medical Center
1 stars
- California avg
California state average
3.1 stars
- US avg
National average
3.2 stars
What this shows At 1 stars, Kern Medical Center rates below the California average of 3.1 and below the national average of 3.2.
Type
Acute Care Hospitals
Ownership
Government - Hospital District or Authority
Emergency Services
Yes
Birthing Friendly
Yes
Patient Experience
17
HCAHPS domains
Infection Types
6
CDC NHSN
CMS Overall Star Rating 20.0%
1 of 5 stars
Quality profile vs. the national benchmark
Mortality 4 measures
Safety of care 7 measures
Readmission 7 measures
Better than national Same as national Worse than national
Quality Measures
| Measure | Score | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| Abdominopelvic accidental puncture or laceration rate | 1.77 | Same as National |
| CMS Medicare PSI 90: Patient safety and adverse events composite | 1.01 | Same as National |
| Death rate among surgical inpatients with serious treatable complications | N/A | Number of Cases Too Small |
| 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 | 12.7 | Same as National |
| Death rate for pneumonia patients | 16.7 | Same as National |
| Death rate for stroke patients | 17.1 | Same as National |
| Hybrid Hospital-Wide All-Cause Risk Standardized Mortality Rate | 4.4 | Same as National |
| Iatrogenic pneumothorax rate | 0.2 | Same as National |
| In-hospital fall-associated fracture rate | 0.26 | Same as National |
| Perioperative pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis rate | 4.19 | Same as National |
| Postoperative acute kidney injury requiring dialysis rate | 1.65 | Same as National |
| Postoperative hemorrhage or hematoma rate | 2.37 | 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 | 3 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Nurse communication - linear mean score | N/A |
| Nurse communication - star rating | 1 |
| Overall hospital rating - linear mean score | N/A |
| Overall hospital rating - star rating | 2 |
| Quietness - linear mean score | N/A |
| Quietness - star rating | 1 |
| Recommend hospital - linear mean score | N/A |
| Recommend hospital - star rating | 2 |
| Summary star rating | 2 |
Safety & Infections
| Measure | Score | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards) | 0.731 | Same as National |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards) | 0.233 | Same as National |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff) | 0.304 | Better than National |
| MRSA Bacteremia | 0.952 | Same as National |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy | 0.755 | Same as National |
| SSI - Colon Surgery | 0.275 | Same as National |
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 | 19.9 | Same as National |
| Hospital return days for heart attack patients | N/A | Number of Cases Too Small |
| Hospital return days for heart failure patients | -11.9 | Average Days per 100 Discharges |
| Hospital return days for pneumonia patients | -21.9 | Average Days per 100 Discharges |
| Hybrid Hospital-Wide All-Cause Readmission Measure (HWR) | 15.3 | Same as National |
| Pneumonia (PN) 30-Day Readmission Rate | 15.8 | Same as National |
| Rate of emergency department (ED) visits for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy | 5.4 | Same as National |
| Rate of inpatient admissions for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy | 10.6 | Same as National |
| Rate of readmission after hip/knee replacement | N/A | Number of Cases Too Small |
| 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) | 13.4 | Same as National |
| Ratio of unplanned hospital visits after hospital outpatient surgery | 1 | 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 |
Nearby Hospitals in California
Other Medicare-certified hospitals in California.
60th Medical Group (Travis AFB)
Travis AFB, CA
No rating Acute Care - Department of Defense
Adventist Health and Rideout
Marysville, CA
2/5
Acute Care Hospitals
Adventist Health Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA
2/5
Acute Care Hospitals
Adventist Health Clearlake
Clearlake, CA
2/5
Critical Access Hospitals
Adventist Health Delano
Delano, CA
2/5
Acute Care Hospitals
Adventist Health Hanford
Hanford, CA
3/5
Acute Care Hospitals
Compare Kern Medical Center vs 60th Medical Group (Travis AFB) →
Hospital Quality Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Kern Medical Center compare to other hospitals on CMS star rating?
According to PlainHospital's CMS star-rating ranking, Kern Medical Center ranks #3074 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 for the exact sort basis.
What is the CMS star rating for Kern Medical Center?
Kern Medical Center has an overall CMS star rating of 1 out of 5, below the 3.2-star national average.
How does Kern Medical Center perform on quality measures?
1 of 18 compared mortality, safety, and readmission measures rate better than the national average at Kern Medical Center; 0 rate worse.
What do patients say about Kern Medical Center?
Kern Medical Center reports 17 HCAHPS patient-experience domain scores. Star ratings range from 1 to 3 out of 5.
What are the infection rates at Kern Medical Center?
Kern Medical Center tracks 6 healthcare-associated infection types (CDC NHSN). 1 are better than the national benchmark, 0 are worse, and 5 are at the national average.
Does Kern Medical Center have emergency services?
Yes, Kern Medical Center provides emergency services.
What type of hospital is Kern Medical Center?
Kern Medical Center is a Acute Care Hospitals facility with Government - Hospital District or Authority ownership, located in Bakersfield, CA. This facility has received the CMS Birthing-Friendly designation.
How much does Medicare spend at Kern Medical Center?
1 Medicare spending category is on file for Kern Medical Center, per episode vs. the national median.
Does Kern Medical Center offer maternal health services?
Yes, Kern Medical Center reports 4 maternal health measures. This facility has been designated as Birthing-Friendly by CMS.
Data Sources
Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Compare. Last refreshed from CMS: . About PlainHospital
Read our methodology & full data source list
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