Complications & Deaths Measures
20
CMS-tracked
Arizona · Acute Care - Veterans Administration
VA S. Arizona Healthcare System
According to PlainHospital's CMS star-rating ranking (CMS Hospital Compare overall stars), VA S. Arizona Healthcare System ranks #355 of 3182 rated US hospitals by overall star rating (highest = #1).
- 5★
- CMS overall rating
- Top 12%
- national star rank
- #355 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.
3601 South Sixth Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85723 · Pima County · (520) 629-1821
The verdict
According to PlainHospital's CMS star-rating ranking (CMS Hospital Compare overall stars), VA S. Arizona Healthcare System ranks #355 of 3182 rated US hospitals by overall star rating (highest = #1). That corpus rank reflects a top-quartile CMS star rating nationally, with 3 quality measures beating the national benchmark (1 worse).
- Top 12%
- CMS star rating vs 3,182 rated US hospitals
- #355 of 3182
- rated-hospital corpus placement
- 3
- measures better than national of 15 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 VA S. Arizona Healthcare System 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
VA S. Arizona Healthcare System vs. Arizona and the nation
- VA S. Arizona Health…
VA S. Arizona Healthcare System
5 stars
- Arizona avg
Arizona state average
3.1 stars
- US avg
National average
3.2 stars
What this shows At 5 stars, VA S. Arizona Healthcare System rates above the Arizona average of 3.1 and above the national average of 3.2.
Type
Acute Care - Veterans Administration
Ownership
Veterans Health Administration
Emergency Services
Yes
Birthing Friendly
N/A
Patient Experience
17
HCAHPS domains
Infection Types
6
CDC NHSN
CMS Overall Star Rating 100.0%
5 of 5 stars
Star-band quality profile for VA S. Arizona Healthcare System
Mortality 5 measures
Safety of care 4 measures
Readmission 6 measures
Better than national Same as national Worse than national
Quality Measures
| Measure | Score | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| Abdominopelvic accidental puncture or laceration rate | 1.37 | Same as National |
| CMS Medicare PSI 90: Patient safety and adverse events composite | 1.29 | Worse than National |
| Death rate among surgical inpatients with serious treatable complications | 160.02 | Same as National |
| Death rate for CABG surgery patients | N/A | Not Available |
| Death rate for COPD patients | 8.1 | Same as National |
| Death rate for heart attack patients | 10.8 | Same as National |
| Death rate for heart failure patients | 7.7 | Better than National |
| Death rate for pneumonia patients | 11.1 | Better than National |
| Death rate for stroke patients | N/A | Not Available |
| Hybrid Hospital-Wide All-Cause Risk Standardized Mortality Rate | N/A | Not Available |
| Iatrogenic pneumothorax rate | 0.34 | Same as National |
| In-hospital fall-associated fracture rate | 0.33 | Same as National |
| Perioperative pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis rate | 2.86 | Same as National |
| Postoperative acute kidney injury requiring dialysis rate | 1.66 | Same as National |
| Postoperative hemorrhage or hematoma rate | 1.95 | 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 | 4 |
| Discharge information - linear mean score | N/A |
| Discharge information - star rating | 4 |
| Doctor communication - linear mean score | N/A |
| Doctor communication - star rating | 3 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Quietness - linear mean score | N/A |
| Quietness - star rating | 2 |
| Recommend hospital - linear mean score | N/A |
| Recommend hospital - star rating | 5 |
| Summary star rating | 4 |
Safety & Infections
| Measure | Score | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards) | 0 | Better than National |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards) | 0 | Same as National |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff) | N/A | Not Available |
| MRSA Bacteremia | N/A | Not Available |
| 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 | 14.4 | Same as National |
| Heart failure (HF) 30-Day Readmission Rate | 19.4 | Same as National |
| Hospital return days for heart attack patients | 6.1 | Average Days per 100 Discharges |
| Hospital return days for heart failure patients | 4.1 | Average Days per 100 Discharges |
| Hospital return days for pneumonia patients | 2.5 | Average Days per 100 Discharges |
| Hybrid Hospital-Wide All-Cause Readmission Measure (HWR) | 15.3 | Same as National |
| Pneumonia (PN) 30-Day Readmission Rate | 15.7 | Same as National |
| Rate of emergency department (ED) visits for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy | N/A | Not Available |
| Rate of inpatient admissions for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy | N/A | Not Available |
| Rate of readmission after hip/knee replacement | 4.3 | Same as National |
| Rate of readmission for CABG | N/A | Not Available |
| Rate of readmission for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients | 19 | Same as National |
| Rate of unplanned hospital visits after colonoscopy (per 1,000 colonoscopies) | N/A | Not Available |
| Ratio of unplanned hospital visits after hospital outpatient surgery | N/A | Not Available |
Nationwide hospitals with similar CMS profiles
Peer sets for VA S. Arizona Healthcare System outside Arizona, keyed first to the high CMS star band.
Similar CMS star rating
Nearest overall stars outside AZ (5/5 here).
Similar mortality outcomes
Nearest mortality measures rated better than national, outside AZ (2 better here).
Nearby Hospitals in Arizona
Other Medicare-certified hospitals in Arizona.
One of 106 Medicare-certified hospitals in Arizona, 6 are shown here.
Abrazo Arrowhead Hospital
Glendale, AZ
2/5
Acute Care Hospitals
Abrazo Central Campus
Phoenix, AZ
2/5
Acute Care Hospitals
Abrazo Scottsdale Campus
Phoenix, AZ
3/5
Acute Care Hospitals
Abrazo West Campus
Goodyear, AZ
2/5
Acute Care Hospitals
Agave Ridge Behavioral Hospital
Mesa, AZ
No rating Psychiatric
Arizona Orthopedic and Surgical Specialty Hospital
Phoenix, AZ
No rating Acute Care Hospitals
Compare VA S. Arizona Healthcare System vs Abrazo Arrowhead Hospital →
Frequently Asked Questions
How does VA S. Arizona Healthcare System compare to other hospitals on CMS star rating?
According to PlainHospital's CMS star-rating ranking, VA S. Arizona Healthcare System ranks #355 of 3182 rated US hospitals (high-band tercile among 3,182 rated facilities). Sort basis: star_rating DESC - see /methodology#corpus-placement.
What is the CMS star rating for VA S. Arizona Healthcare System?
VA S. Arizona Healthcare System has an overall CMS star rating of 5 out of 5 (high-band), above the 3.2-star national average.
How does VA S. Arizona Healthcare System perform on quality measures?
3 of 15 compared mortality, safety, and readmission measures rate better than the national average at VA S. Arizona Healthcare System; 1 rate worse.
What do patients say about VA S. Arizona Healthcare System?
VA S. Arizona Healthcare System reports 17 HCAHPS patient-experience domain scores. Star ratings range from 2 to 5 out of 5.
What are the infection rates at VA S. Arizona Healthcare System?
VA S. Arizona Healthcare System tracks 6 healthcare-associated infection types (CDC NHSN). 1 are better than the national benchmark, 0 are worse, and 1 are at the national average.
Does VA S. Arizona Healthcare System have emergency services?
Yes, VA S. Arizona Healthcare System provides emergency services.
What type of hospital is VA S. Arizona Healthcare System?
VA S. Arizona Healthcare System is a Acute Care - Veterans Administration facility with Veterans Health Administration ownership, located in Tucson, AZ.
Read our methodology & full data source list · Source: CMS Hospital Compare · measure windows