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State hospital quality · CMS Hospital Compare

Hospitals in South Dakota

South Dakota has 61 Medicare-certified hospitals averaging 4.1 of 5 CMS stars - above the 3.1-star national average, with 3 earning the full five stars.

61
Hospitals
4.1★
Avg rating
3
Five-star
54
With ER

The state picture

Across 61 Medicare-certified hospitals, South Dakota averages 4.1 of 5 CMS stars - above the 3.1-star national average, and 3 facilities earn the top five-star rating.

4.1 / 5
state average (above 3.1 national)
3
five-star hospitals
54
with an emergency department
61
Medicare-certified hospitals

CMS star ratings are composite quality scores; 12 of 61 South Dakota hospitals had enough reporting volume to receive one. Not medical advice.

CMS star-rating mix in South Dakota

How 12 rated South Dakota hospitals break down across the 1–5 star scale

hospitals

What this shows 3 South Dakota hospitals reach five stars; the state's 4.1-star average sits above the 3.1-star national mark.

Source CMS Hospital Compare As of 2026-05-15

What the Data Shows About Hospitals in South Dakota

South Dakota has 61 Medicare-certified hospitals tracked by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Compare program. Of these, 54 facilities operate an emergency department, an important signal for communities that rely on nearby acute-care access. The statewide average CMS overall star rating is 4.1 out of 5, calculated across hospitals with enough reporting volume to generate a composite rating.

At the top of the quality distribution, 3 hospitals have earned the highest 5-star CMS overall rating in South Dakota. The single highest-rated facility in the state registry is Avera Heart Hospital of South Dakota in Sioux Falls, currently listed at 5/5 stars. Star ratings are composite scores built from mortality, safety of care, readmission, patient experience (HCAHPS), and timely & effective care domains, so a single number conceals meaningful per-domain variation that matters for specific procedures.

Showing 61 of 61 hospitals on this page (page 2 of 2). Hospital quality varies materially within a state, urban academic centers, rural critical-access hospitals, and specialty facilities report against different baselines, so comparing individual facility profiles before choosing planned care is more useful than relying on the statewide average alone. All figures reflect the CMS Hospital Compare release from , and nothing on this page is medical advice, consult a qualified clinician before making care decisions.

61
Hospitals
4.1
Avg Rating
3
Five-Star
54
With ER

Top-Rated in South Dakota

Highest CMS star ratings among Medicare-certified hospitals in South Dakota.

  1. 🥇1 Avera Heart Hospital of South Dakota Sioux Falls, SD · Acute Care Hospitals ★★★★★
  2. 🥈2 Avera St Lukes Aberdeen, SD · Acute Care Hospitals ★★★★★
  3. 🥉3 Sioux Falls VA Medical Center Sioux Falls, SD · Acute Care - Veterans Administration ★★★★★
  4. 4 Avera Sacred Heart Hospital Yankton, SD · Acute Care Hospitals ★★★★
  5. 5 Brookings Health System Brookings, SD · Acute Care Hospitals ★★★★
  6. 6 Monument Health Rapid City Hospital Rapid City, SD · Acute Care Hospitals ★★★★

Compare Avera Heart Hospital of South Dakota vs Avera St Lukes →

All Hospitals

Showing 51–61 of 61 hospitals

Hospital Rating
Sanford Hospital Webster - Cah

Webster

 N/A
Sanford Medical Center Aberdeen

Aberdeen

 4
Sanford Usd Medical Center

Sioux Falls

 4
Sanford Vermillion Medical Center

Vermillion

 N/A
Sioux Falls Specialty Hospital

Sioux Falls

 N/A
Sioux Falls VA Medical Center

Sioux Falls

 5
South Dakota Human Services Center

Yankton

 N/A
St Michael's Hospital - Cah

Tyndall

 N/A
VA Black Hills Healthcare System

Fort Meade

 4
Wagner Community Memorial Hospital - Cah

Wagner

 N/A
Winner Regional Healthcare Center - Cah

Winner

 N/A

Hospital Quality in South Dakota

South Dakota has 61 Medicare-certified hospitals tracked by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Of these, 3 have earned the highest 5-star overall quality rating, reflecting strong performance across mortality, safety of care, readmission rates, patient experience, and timely and effective care measures.

The average CMS star rating across South Dakota hospitals is 4.1. 54 facilities have emergency departments, an important factor for communities that depend on nearby acute care. Hospital quality can vary significantly within a state, so comparing individual facility ratings before choosing care is recommended.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best hospital in South Dakota? ▼
The highest-rated hospital in South Dakota is Avera Heart Hospital of South Dakota in Sioux Falls with a CMS star rating of 5/5. There are 3 five-star hospitals in the state out of 61 Medicare-certified facilities.
How are hospitals rated? ▼
CMS rates hospitals on a 1-to-5 star scale based on quality measures including mortality, safety, patient experience, readmission rates, and timely care. In South Dakota, the average star rating is 4.1 across rated hospitals.
How many hospitals are in South Dakota? ▼
South Dakota has 61 Medicare-certified hospitals, of which 54 have emergency departments. 3 hospitals have earned the highest 5-star CMS rating.

Data from CMS Hospital Compare; patient-experience scores from the HCAHPS survey. Last refreshed: . Learn more

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.