St. Elizabeth Dearborn and St. Elizabeth Edgewood both achieved a prestigious 5-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). This milestone marks the first 5-star rating for St. Elizabeth Dearborn, while St. Elizabeth Edgewood has earned this distinction for the second consecutive year.
The 5-star rating is the highest awarded by CMS. In 2024, it was given to only five hospitals in Kentucky, three in Greater Cincinnati, 12 in Indiana and 381 nationwide. This year, just 13% of hospitals in the country received a 5-star rating. CMS is the federal agency that provides health coverage to more than 160 million people through Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program and the Health Insurance Marketplace.
CMS ratings are a valuable tool for patients and their families, aiding in making well-informed healthcare decisions and signaling the highest standard of care. CMS 5-star hospitals are recognized for their elite-level quality of care, based on five key performance measures: mortality, re-admissions, safety, patient experience, and timely and effective care.
“Back to back 5-star recognition at Edgewood speaks to the consistency of care all of our associates deliver to our patients each and every day,” said James Horn, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer for St. Elizabeth. “The first-time designation at Dearborn and the ongoing improvement efforts at all of our facilities show how we are constantly striving to improve the care we provide. It’s a result of the efforts of many and we want to extend a big thank you to all of our medical staff, nursing teams and associates for the wonderful designation of 5-star at Edgewood and Dearborn. We also want to thank our community for continuing to entrust their healthcare to St. Elizabeth.”
Five-star hospitals like St. Elizabeth Dearborn and St. Elizabeth Edgewood excel in patient satisfaction scores, reflecting positive patient experiences and high standards of care. St. Elizabeth achieved this designation through superior clinical outcomes, including lower mortality and readmission rates, indicating effective and efficient care. A hallmark of 5-star hospitals is their emphasis on patient-centered care practices, such as effective communication and respect for patient preferences. Additionally, they proactively provide preventive care services, such as vaccinations and screenings, to maintain community health.
“This designation is truly an honor and an important milestone recognizing the compassionate and comprehensive care provided at St. Elizabeth Dearborn,” said Angela Roberts, Vice President, Site Administrator and Chief Nursing Officer of St. Elizabeth Dearborn. “We’ve achieved this by prioritizing care improvements for all patients and implementing practices that consistently enhance the quality of our care.”
For the 2024 ratings, CMS evaluated hospitals from July 2019 through March 2023. Both campuses reported significantly lower mortality rates with Dearborn 79% above the national average and Edgewood 68% above the national average. St. Elizabeth Edgewood placed in the top 22nd percentile based on Midas Health Analytics benchmarking against over 400 teaching facilities, while Dearborn placed in the top 30th percentile compared to all other Midas customers.