Complications & Deaths Measures
20
CMS-tracked
Connecticut · Acute Care
William W Backus Hospital
According to PlainHospital's CMS star-rating ranking (CMS Hospital Compare overall stars), William W Backus Hospital ranks #1322 of 3182 rated US hospitals by overall star rating (highest = #1).
- 4★
- CMS overall rating
- Top 42%
- national star rank
- #1322 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.
326 Washington St, Norwich, CT 06360 · New London County · (860) 889-8331
The verdict
According to PlainHospital's CMS star-rating ranking (CMS Hospital Compare overall stars), William W Backus Hospital ranks #1322 of 3182 rated US hospitals by overall star rating (highest = #1). That corpus rank reflects an above-median CMS star rating nationally, with 2 quality measures beating the national benchmark (1 worse).
- Top 42%
- CMS star rating vs 3,182 rated US hospitals
- #1322 of 3182
- rated-hospital corpus placement
- 2
- measures better than national of 23 compared
- Yes
- emergency department on site
Since the last CMS release
This hospital held its 4-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 William W Backus Hospital sits among rated US hospitals
4 Top 42% higher than 58% 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
William W Backus Hospital vs. Connecticut and the nation
- William W Backus Hos…
William W Backus Hospital
4 stars
- Connecticut avg
Connecticut state average
3.4 stars
- US avg
National average
3.2 stars
What this shows At 4 stars, William W Backus Hospital rates above the Connecticut average of 3.4 and above the national average of 3.2.
Type
Acute Care Hospitals
Ownership
Voluntary non-profit - Other
Emergency Services
Yes
Birthing Friendly
Yes
Patient Experience
17
HCAHPS domains
Infection Types
6
CDC NHSN
CMS Overall Star Rating 80.0%
4 of 5 stars
Star-band quality profile for William W Backus Hospital
Mortality 7 measures
Safety of care 7 measures
Readmission 9 measures
Better than national Same as national Worse than national
Quality Measures
| Measure | Score | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| Abdominopelvic accidental puncture or laceration rate | 1.25 | Same as National |
| CMS Medicare PSI 90: Patient safety and adverse events composite | 0.76 | Same as National |
| Death rate among surgical inpatients with serious treatable complications | 165.13 | Same as National |
| Death rate for CABG surgery patients | N/A | Not Available |
| Death rate for COPD patients | 7.3 | Same as National |
| Death rate for heart attack patients | 11.2 | Same as National |
| Death rate for heart failure patients | 10.1 | Same as National |
| Death rate for pneumonia patients | 15.8 | Same as National |
| Death rate for stroke patients | 9.7 | Same as National |
| Hybrid Hospital-Wide All-Cause Risk Standardized Mortality Rate | 3.3 | Better than National |
| Iatrogenic pneumothorax rate | 0.16 | Same as National |
| In-hospital fall-associated fracture rate | 0.3 | Same as National |
| Perioperative pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis rate | 2.64 | Same as National |
| Postoperative acute kidney injury requiring dialysis rate | 1.56 | Same as National |
| Postoperative hemorrhage or hematoma rate | 1.93 | 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 | 3 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Summary star rating | 3 |
Safety & Infections
| Measure | Score | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards) | 0.438 | Same as National |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards) | 0.22 | Same as National |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff) | 0.041 | Better than National |
| MRSA Bacteremia | 0 | Same as National |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy | N/A | Not Available |
| SSI - Colon Surgery | 0.406 | 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 | 19.3 | Same as National |
| Hospital return days for heart attack patients | N/A | Number of Cases Too Small |
| Hospital return days for heart failure patients | 12.8 | More Days Than Average per 100 Discharges |
| Hospital return days for pneumonia patients | 0.5 | Average Days per 100 Discharges |
| Hybrid Hospital-Wide All-Cause Readmission Measure (HWR) | 14.4 | Same as National |
| Pneumonia (PN) 30-Day Readmission Rate | 14.5 | Same as National |
| Rate of emergency department (ED) visits for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy | 5.5 | Same as National |
| Rate of inpatient admissions for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy | 8.9 | Same as National |
| Rate of readmission after hip/knee replacement | 4.6 | Same as National |
| Rate of readmission for CABG | N/A | Not Available |
| Rate of readmission for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients | 19.8 | Same as National |
| Rate of unplanned hospital visits after colonoscopy (per 1,000 colonoscopies) | 13.6 | Same as National |
| Ratio of unplanned hospital visits after hospital outpatient surgery | 1.1 | Same as National |
Medicare Spending
| Measure | Score |
|---|---|
| Medicare hospital spending per patient (Medicare Spending per Beneficiary) | 0.97 |
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 |
Nationwide hospitals with similar CMS profiles
Peer sets for William W Backus Hospital outside Connecticut, keyed first to the mid CMS star band.
Similar CMS star rating
Nearest overall stars outside CT (4/5 here).
Similar mortality outcomes
Nearest mortality measures rated better than national, outside CT (1 better here).
Nearby Hospitals in Connecticut
Other Medicare-certified hospitals in Connecticut.
One of 35 Medicare-certified hospitals in Connecticut, 6 are shown here.
Albert J Solnit Children's Center - South Campus
Middletown, CT
No rating Psychiatric
Bridgeport Hospital
Bridgeport, CT
4/5
Acute Care Hospitals
Bristol Hospital
Bristol, CT
2/5
Acute Care Hospitals
Charlotte Hungerford Hospital
Torrington, CT
3/5
Acute Care Hospitals
Connecticut Childrens Medical Center
Hartford, CT
No rating Childrens
Connecticut Mental Health Center
New Haven, CT
No rating Psychiatric
Compare William W Backus Hospital vs Albert J Solnit Children's Center - South Campus →
Frequently Asked Questions
How does William W Backus Hospital compare to other hospitals on CMS star rating?
According to PlainHospital's CMS star-rating ranking, William W Backus Hospital ranks #1322 of 3182 rated US hospitals (mid-band tercile among 3,182 rated facilities). Sort basis: star_rating DESC - see /methodology#corpus-placement.
What is the CMS star rating for William W Backus Hospital?
William W Backus Hospital has an overall CMS star rating of 4 out of 5 (mid-band), above the 3.2-star national average.
How does William W Backus Hospital perform on quality measures?
2 of 23 compared mortality, safety, and readmission measures rate better than the national average at William W Backus Hospital; 1 rate worse.
What do patients say about William W Backus Hospital?
William W Backus Hospital reports 17 HCAHPS patient-experience domain scores. Star ratings range from 1 to 3 out of 5.
What are the infection rates at William W Backus Hospital?
William W Backus Hospital tracks 6 healthcare-associated infection types (CDC NHSN). 1 are better than the national benchmark, 0 are worse, and 4 are at the national average.
Does William W Backus Hospital have emergency services?
Yes, William W Backus Hospital provides emergency services.
What type of hospital is William W Backus Hospital?
William W Backus Hospital is a Acute Care Hospitals facility with Voluntary non-profit - Other ownership, located in Norwich, CT. This facility has received the CMS Birthing-Friendly designation.
How much does Medicare spend at William W Backus Hospital?
1 Medicare spending category is on file for William W Backus Hospital, per episode vs. the national median.
Does William W Backus Hospital offer maternal health services?
Yes, William W Backus Hospital reports 4 maternal health measures. This facility has been designated as Birthing-Friendly by CMS.
Read our methodology & full data source list · Source: CMS Hospital Compare · measure windows