Complications & Deaths Measures
20
CMS-tracked
Pennsylvania · Acute Care
UPMC Altoona
UPMC Altoona holds a 2 of 5 CMS overall star rating - below the national average of 3.1 - in Altoona, PA.
- 2★
- CMS overall rating
- 8th
- National percentile
- 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.
620 Howard Avenue, Altoona, PA 16601 · Blair County · (814) 889-2011
The verdict
UPMC Altoona earns 2 of 5 stars from CMS - below the 3.1-star national average, and reports 2 quality measures better than the national benchmark.
- 2 / 5
- CMS overall star rating
- Higher than 8%
- of 2,866 rated US hospitals
- 2
- measures better than national of 25 compared
- Yes
- emergency department on site
Where UPMC Altoona sits among rated US hospitals
2 Top 92% higher than 8% of 2,866 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 · 2026-05-15
UPMC Altoona vs. Pennsylvania and the nation
- UPMC Altoona
UPMC Altoona
2 stars
- Pennsylvania avg
Pennsylvania state average
3.3 stars
- US avg
National average
3.1 stars
What this shows At 2 stars, UPMC Altoona rates below the Pennsylvania average of 3.3 and below the national average of 3.1.
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 40.0%
2 of 5 stars
Quality profile vs. the national benchmark
Mortality 7 measures
Safety of care 7 measures
Readmission 11 measures
Better than national Same as national Worse than national
Quality Measures
| Measure | Score | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| Abdominopelvic accidental puncture or laceration rate | 1.1 | Same as National |
| CMS Medicare PSI 90: Patient safety and adverse events composite | 1.05 | Same as National |
| Death rate among surgical inpatients with serious treatable complications | 259.01 | Worse than National |
| Death rate for CABG surgery patients | 2.3 | Same as National |
| Death rate for COPD patients | 10.6 | Same as National |
| Death rate for heart attack patients | 12.7 | Same as National |
| Death rate for heart failure patients | 10.1 | Same as National |
| Death rate for pneumonia patients | 14.9 | Same as National |
| Death rate for stroke patients | 13 | Same as National |
| Hybrid Hospital-Wide All-Cause Risk Standardized Mortality Rate | 4 | Same as National |
| Iatrogenic pneumothorax rate | 0.21 | Same as National |
| In-hospital fall-associated fracture rate | 0.38 | Same as National |
| Perioperative pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis rate | 3.31 | Same as National |
| Postoperative acute kidney injury requiring dialysis rate | 1.48 | 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 | 2 |
| 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 | 3 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Summary star rating | 2 |
Safety & Infections
| Measure | Score | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards) | 0.335 | Better than National |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards) | 0.596 | Same as National |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff) | 0.877 | Same as National |
| MRSA Bacteremia | 0 | Better than National |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy | N/A | Not Available |
| SSI - Colon Surgery | 0.207 | Same as National |
Staffing & Spending
Unplanned Visits & Readmissions
| Measure | Score | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) 30-Day Readmission Rate | 13.6 | Same as National |
| Heart failure (HF) 30-Day Readmission Rate | 18.2 | Same as National |
| Hospital return days for heart attack patients | 26.5 | More Days Than Average per 100 Discharges |
| Hospital return days for heart failure patients | -33.5 | Fewer Days Than Average per 100 Discharges |
| Hospital return days for pneumonia patients | 1.3 | Average Days per 100 Discharges |
| Hybrid Hospital-Wide All-Cause Readmission Measure (HWR) | 14.5 | Same as National |
| Pneumonia (PN) 30-Day Readmission Rate | 15.6 | Same as National |
| Rate of emergency department (ED) visits for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy | 4 | Same as National |
| Rate of inpatient admissions for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy | 11 | Same as National |
| Rate of readmission after hip/knee replacement | 4.7 | Same as National |
| Rate of readmission for CABG | 10.4 | Same as National |
| Rate of readmission for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients | 17.9 | Same as National |
| Rate of unplanned hospital visits after colonoscopy (per 1,000 colonoscopies) | 12.9 | Same as National |
| Ratio of unplanned hospital visits after hospital outpatient surgery | 0.8 | Same as National |
Medicare Spending
| Measure | Score |
|---|---|
| Medicare hospital spending per patient (Medicare Spending per Beneficiary) | 1.12 |
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 Pennsylvania
Other Medicare-certified hospitals in Pennsylvania.
Acmh Hospital
Kittanning, PA
2/5
Acute Care Hospitals
Advanced Surgical Hospital
Washington, PA
No rating Acute Care Hospitals
Ahn Emerus Westmoreland, LLC
Greensburg, PA
No rating Acute Care Hospitals
Ahn Wexford Hospital
Wexford, PA
5/5
Acute Care Hospitals
Allegheny General Hospital
Pittsburgh, PA
2/5
Acute Care Hospitals
Allegheny Valley Hospital
Natrona, PA
4/5
Acute Care Hospitals
Hospital Quality Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CMS star rating for UPMC Altoona?
UPMC Altoona has an overall CMS star rating of 2 out of 5, below the 3.1-star national average.
How does UPMC Altoona perform on quality measures?
2 of 25 compared mortality, safety, and readmission measures rate better than the national average at UPMC Altoona; 0 rate worse.
What do patients say about UPMC Altoona?
UPMC Altoona reports 17 HCAHPS patient-experience domain scores. Star ratings range from 1 to 3 out of 5.
What are the infection rates at UPMC Altoona?
UPMC Altoona 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 UPMC Altoona have emergency services?
Yes, UPMC Altoona provides emergency services.
What type of hospital is UPMC Altoona?
UPMC Altoona is a Acute Care Hospitals facility with Voluntary non-profit - Private ownership, located in Altoona, PA. This facility has received the CMS Birthing-Friendly designation.
How much does Medicare spend at UPMC Altoona?
1 Medicare spending category is on file for UPMC Altoona, per episode vs. the national median.
Does UPMC Altoona offer maternal health services?
Yes, UPMC Altoona 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
Every figure on PlainHospital is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.