Complications & Deaths Measures
20
CMS-tracked
Massachusetts · Acute Care
North Shore Medical Center -
According to PlainHospital's CMS star-rating ranking (CMS Hospital Compare overall stars), North Shore Medical Center - ranks #204 of 3182 rated US hospitals by overall star rating (highest = #1).
- 5★
- CMS overall rating
- Top 12%
- national star rank
- #204 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.
81 Highland Avenue, Salem, MA 01970 · Essex County · (978) 741-1215
The verdict
According to PlainHospital's CMS star-rating ranking (CMS Hospital Compare overall stars), North Shore Medical Center - ranks #204 of 3182 rated US hospitals by overall star rating (highest = #1). That corpus rank reflects a top-quartile CMS star rating nationally, with 7 quality measures beating the national benchmark (1 worse).
- Top 12%
- CMS star rating vs 3,182 rated US hospitals
- #204 of 3182
- rated-hospital corpus placement
- 7
- measures better than national of 24 compared
- Yes
- emergency department on site
Since the last CMS release
CMS raised this hospital from 4 to 5 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 North Shore Medical Center - sits among rated US hospitals
5 Top 12% higher than 88% 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
North Shore Medical Center - vs. Massachusetts and the nation
- North Shore Medical Center -
North Shore Medical Center -
5 stars
- Massachusetts avg
Massachusetts state average
3.2 stars
- US avg
National average
3.2 stars
What this shows At 5 stars, North Shore Medical Center - rates above the Massachusetts average of 3.2 and above the national average of 3.2.
Type
Acute Care Hospitals
Ownership
Voluntary non-profit - Private
Emergency Services
Yes
Birthing Friendly
Yes
Patient Experience
17
HCAHPS domains
Infection Types
6
CDC NHSN
CMS Overall Star Rating 100.0%
5 of 5 stars
Better-than-national profile for North Shore Medical Center -
Mortality 7 measures
Safety of care 7 measures
Readmission 10 measures
Better than national Same as national Worse than national
Quality Measures
| Measure | Score | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| Abdominopelvic accidental puncture or laceration rate | 1.15 | Same as National |
| CMS Medicare PSI 90: Patient safety and adverse events composite | 0.84 | Same as National |
| Death rate among surgical inpatients with serious treatable complications | 134.38 | Same as National |
| Death rate for CABG surgery patients | N/A | Not Available |
| Death rate for COPD patients | 6.2 | Better than National |
| Death rate for heart attack patients | 11.7 | Same as National |
| Death rate for heart failure patients | 8.3 | Better than National |
| Death rate for pneumonia patients | 10.7 | Better than National |
| Death rate for stroke patients | 11.4 | Same as National |
| Hybrid Hospital-Wide All-Cause Risk Standardized Mortality Rate | 3.1 | Better than National |
| Iatrogenic pneumothorax rate | 0.26 | Same as National |
| In-hospital fall-associated fracture rate | 0.28 | Same as National |
| Perioperative pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis rate | 3.41 | Same as National |
| Postoperative acute kidney injury requiring dialysis rate | 1.45 | Same as National |
| Postoperative hemorrhage or hematoma rate | 2.38 | 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 | 3 |
| Discharge information - linear mean score | N/A |
| Discharge information - star rating | 4 |
| Doctor communication - linear mean score | N/A |
| Doctor communication - star rating | 4 |
| Nurse communication - linear mean score | N/A |
| Nurse communication - star rating | 4 |
| Overall hospital rating - linear mean score | N/A |
| Overall hospital rating - star rating | 3 |
| Quietness - linear mean score | N/A |
| Quietness - star rating | 2 |
| Recommend hospital - linear mean score | N/A |
| Recommend hospital - star rating | 4 |
| Summary star rating | 4 |
Safety & Infections
| Measure | Score | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards) | 0.933 | Same as National |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards) | 0.344 | Better than National |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff) | 0.49 | Better than National |
| MRSA Bacteremia | 0.94 | Same as National |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy | N/A | Not Available |
| SSI - Colon Surgery | 1.99 | Same as National |
Staffing & Spending
Unplanned Visits & Readmissions
| Measure | Score | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) 30-Day Readmission Rate | 13.3 | Same as National |
| Heart failure (HF) 30-Day Readmission Rate | 19.1 | Same as National |
| Hospital return days for heart attack patients | -1.2 | Average Days per 100 Discharges |
| Hospital return days for heart failure patients | 0 | Average Days per 100 Discharges |
| Hospital return days for pneumonia patients | 25.1 | More Days Than Average per 100 Discharges |
| Hybrid Hospital-Wide All-Cause Readmission Measure (HWR) | 15.9 | Same as National |
| Pneumonia (PN) 30-Day Readmission Rate | 17.4 | 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 | 10.2 | Same as National |
| Rate of readmission after hip/knee replacement | 4.4 | Same as National |
| Rate of readmission for CABG | N/A | Not Available |
| Rate of readmission for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients | 18.4 | Same as National |
| Rate of unplanned hospital visits after colonoscopy (per 1,000 colonoscopies) | 11.1 | 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) | 0.91 (Below average) |
Maternal Health
CMS maternal-care measures reported for this facility. The Hospital Compare maternal extract lists measure names and reporting windows; it does not publish numeric scores or sample sizes in the corpus we ingest, so those columns are omitted rather than filled with N/A.
| Measure |
|---|
| Cesarean Birth |
| Maternal Morbidity Structural Measure |
| Risk Adjusted Severe Obstetric Complications (All) |
| Risk Adjusted Severe Obstetric Complications (excluding blood-transfusion-only cases) |
Nationwide hospitals with similar CMS profiles
Peer sets for North Shore Medical Center - outside Massachusetts, keyed to the strong better-than-national share.
Similar CMS star rating
Nearest overall stars outside MA (5/5 here).
Similar mortality outcomes
Nearest mortality measures rated better than national, outside MA (4 better here).
Nearby Hospitals in Massachusetts
Other Medicare-certified hospitals in Massachusetts.
One of 83 Medicare-certified hospitals in Massachusetts, 6 are shown here.
Adcare Hospital of Worcester Inc
Worcester, MA
No rating Acute Care Hospitals
Anna Jaques Hospital
Newburyport, MA
3/5
Acute Care Hospitals
Arbour Hospital
Boston, MA
No rating Psychiatric
Arbour Human Resource Institute
Brookline, MA
No rating Psychiatric
Arbour-Fuller Hospital
South Attleboro, MA
No rating Psychiatric
Athol Memorial Hospital
Athol, MA
2/5
Critical Access Hospitals
Compare North Shore Medical Center - vs Adcare Hospital of Worcester Inc →
What to do with North Shore Medical Center -
Use this page's CMS-sourced figures as a starting filter, not a final verdict.
- See how every Massachusetts hospital compares on star rating and the same quality measures. Massachusetts hospitals
- Compare North Shore Medical Center - directly against another hospital, measure by measure. Compare hospitals
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CMS Hospital Compare figures are informational only, not medical advice; always consult your care team.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does North Shore Medical Center - compare to other hospitals on CMS star rating?
According to PlainHospital's CMS star-rating ranking, North Shore Medical Center - ranks #204 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 North Shore Medical Center -?
North Shore Medical Center - has an overall CMS star rating of 5 out of 5 (high-band), above the 3.2-star national average.
How does North Shore Medical Center - perform on quality measures?
7 of 24 compared mortality, safety, and readmission measures rate better than the national average at North Shore Medical Center - (strong better-share tercile); 1 rate worse (typical).
What do patients say about North Shore Medical Center -?
North Shore 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 North Shore Medical Center -?
North Shore Medical Center - tracks 6 healthcare-associated infection types (CDC NHSN). 2 are better than the national benchmark, 0 are worse, and 3 are at the national average.
Does North Shore Medical Center - have emergency services?
Yes, North Shore Medical Center - provides emergency services.
What type of hospital is North Shore Medical Center -?
North Shore Medical Center - is a Acute Care Hospitals facility with Voluntary non-profit - Private ownership, located in Salem, MA. This facility has received the CMS Birthing-Friendly designation.
How much does Medicare spend at North Shore Medical Center -?
1 Medicare spending category is on file for North Shore Medical Center -, per episode vs. the national median.
Does North Shore Medical Center - offer maternal health services?
Yes, North Shore Medical Center - reports 4 maternal health measures. This facility has been designated as Birthing-Friendly by CMS.