Complications & Deaths Measures
20
CMS-tracked
District of Columbia · Acute Care - Veterans Administration
Washington DC VA Medical Center
According to PlainHospital's CMS star-rating ranking (CMS Hospital Compare overall stars), Washington DC VA Medical Center ranks #2294 of 3182 rated US hospitals by overall star rating (highest = #1).
- 3★
- CMS overall rating
- 27th pct.
- national percentile
- #2294 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.
50 Irving Street N.W., Washington, DC 20422 · The District County · (202) 745-8000
The verdict
According to PlainHospital's CMS star-rating ranking (CMS Hospital Compare overall stars), Washington DC VA Medical Center ranks #2294 of 3182 rated US hospitals by overall star rating (highest = #1). That corpus rank reflects a below-median CMS star rating nationally, with 4 quality measures beating the national benchmark (3 worse).
- 27th pct.
- CMS star rating vs 3,182 rated US hospitals
- #2294 of 3182
- rated-hospital corpus placement
- 4
- measures better than national of 15 compared
- Yes
- emergency department on site
Since the last CMS release
This hospital held its 3-star rating across the May 2026 and August 2026 CMS releases.
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 Washington DC VA 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
Washington DC VA Medical Center vs. District of Columbia and the nation
- Washington DC VA Med…
Washington DC VA Medical Center
3 stars
- District of Columbia avg
District of Columbia state average
2.9 stars
- US avg
National average
3.2 stars
What this shows At 3 stars, Washington DC VA Medical Center rates above the District of Columbia average of 2.9 and below 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 60.0%
3 of 5 stars
Better-than-national profile for Washington DC VA Medical Center
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 | 0.89 | Same as National |
| CMS Medicare PSI 90: Patient safety and adverse events composite | 1.09 | Same as National |
| Death rate among surgical inpatients with serious treatable complications | 176.63 | Same as National |
| Death rate for CABG surgery patients | N/A | Not Available |
| Death rate for COPD patients | 4.5 | Better than National |
| Death rate for heart attack patients | 11.5 | Same as National |
| Death rate for heart failure patients | 6.2 | Better than National |
| Death rate for pneumonia patients | 10.8 | 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 | 0.16 | Same as National |
| In-hospital fall-associated fracture rate | 0.28 | Same as National |
| Perioperative pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis rate | 2.79 | Same as National |
| Postoperative acute kidney injury requiring dialysis rate | 1.25 | Same as National |
| Postoperative hemorrhage or hematoma rate | 2.08 | 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 | 4 |
| Nurse communication - linear mean score | N/A |
| Nurse communication - star rating | 2 |
| Overall hospital rating - linear mean score | N/A |
| Overall hospital rating - star rating | 2 |
| Quietness - linear mean score | N/A |
| Quietness - star rating | 2 |
| Recommend hospital - linear mean score | N/A |
| Recommend hospital - star rating | 2 |
| Summary star rating | 3 |
Safety & Infections
| Measure | Score | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards) | 0.454 | Same as National |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards) | 2.692 | Worse than 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 | 14.8 | Same as National |
| Heart failure (HF) 30-Day Readmission Rate | 17.2 | Better than National |
| Hospital return days for heart attack patients | 56.4 | More Days Than Average per 100 Discharges |
| Hospital return days for heart failure patients | -21.3 | Fewer Days Than Average per 100 Discharges |
| Hospital return days for pneumonia patients | 40.8 | More Days Than Average per 100 Discharges |
| Hybrid Hospital-Wide All-Cause Readmission Measure (HWR) | 14.5 | Same as National |
| Pneumonia (PN) 30-Day Readmission Rate | 16.7 | 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 | 5.5 | Same as National |
| Rate of readmission for CABG | N/A | Not Available |
| Rate of readmission for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients | 18 | 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 Washington DC VA Medical Center outside District of Columbia, keyed to the strong better-than-national share.
Similar CMS star rating
Nearest overall stars outside DC (3/5 here).
Similar mortality outcomes
Nearest mortality measures rated better than national, outside DC (3 better here).
Nearby Hospitals in District of Columbia
Other Medicare-certified hospitals in District of Columbia.
One of 9 Medicare-certified hospitals in District of Columbia, 6 are shown here.
Children's National Hospital
Washington, DC
No rating Childrens
George Washington Univ Hospital
Washington, DC
2/5
Acute Care Hospitals
Howard University Hospital Corp
Washington, DC
1/5
Acute Care Hospitals
Medstar Georgetown University Hospital
Washington, DC
3/5
Acute Care Hospitals
Medstar Washington Hospital Center
Washington, DC
3/5
Acute Care Hospitals
Psychiatric Institute of Washington
Washington, DC
No rating Psychiatric
Compare Washington DC VA Medical Center vs Children's National Hospital →
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Washington DC VA Medical Center compare to other hospitals on CMS star rating?
According to PlainHospital's CMS star-rating ranking, Washington DC VA Medical Center ranks #2294 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 Washington DC VA Medical Center?
Washington DC VA Medical Center has an overall CMS star rating of 3 out of 5 (low-band), below the 3.2-star national average.
How does Washington DC VA Medical Center perform on quality measures?
4 of 15 compared mortality, safety, and readmission measures rate better than the national average at Washington DC VA Medical Center (strong better-share tercile); 3 rate worse (elevated).
What do patients say about Washington DC VA Medical Center?
Washington DC VA 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 Washington DC VA Medical Center?
Washington DC VA Medical Center tracks 6 healthcare-associated infection types (CDC NHSN). 0 are better than the national benchmark, 1 are worse, and 1 are at the national average.
Does Washington DC VA Medical Center have emergency services?
Yes, Washington DC VA Medical Center provides emergency services.
What type of hospital is Washington DC VA Medical Center?
Washington DC VA Medical Center is a Acute Care - Veterans Administration facility with Veterans Health Administration ownership, located in Washington, DC.
Read our methodology & full data source list · Source: CMS Hospital Compare · measure windows