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Critical Access HospitalsEmergency Services

KITTITAS VALLEY COMMUNITY HOSPITAL

603 SOUTH CHESTNUT, ELLENSBURG, WA 98926

CMS Overall Rating

Not rated

Critical Access HospitalThis small rural hospital is not required to report all Medicare quality measures. Missing data does not reflect poor quality — it reflects small patient volumes.

About KITTITAS VALLEY COMMUNITY HOSPITAL

Hospital Type: Critical Access Hospitals
Ownership: Government - Hospital District or Authority
Emergency Services: Yes
CMS Certification Number: 501333

Critical Access Hospitals are small rural hospitals with 25 or fewer beds, designed to improve access to healthcare in rural areas. They receive special Medicare reimbursement.

Why doesn't this hospital have a CMS star rating?Critical Access Hospitals are small rural hospitals with low patient volumes. Many do not report enough measures for CMS to calculate a reliable star rating.

Patient Experience (HCAHPS Survey)

Based on standardized surveys sent to random patients after discharge

Mortality & Outcomes

30-day mortality rates — percentage of patients who died within 30 days of admission

COPD Survival

9.8%

Same as national avg

Percentage of COPD (chronic lung disease) patients who died within 30 days of hospitalization.

Heart Failure Survival

13.4%

Same as national avg

Percentage of heart failure patients who died within 30 days. A lower number means more patients survived.

Pneumonia Survival

22.6%

Same as national avg

Percentage of pneumonia patients who died within 30 days. Reflects how well the hospital treats serious lung infections.

Infection Control

Standardized Infection Ratio (SIR) — below 1.0 is better than the national benchmark

CLABSI Rate

N/A

Central line-associated bloodstream infection rate. A number below 1.0 means fewer infections than the national average — better than expected.

CAUTI Rate

N/A

Catheter-associated urinary tract infection rate. SIR below 1.0 = better than national benchmark. Important if you'll be in the ICU.

MRSA Rate

N/A

MRSA bloodstream infection rate. MRSA is a drug-resistant bacteria — an SIR below 1.0 means this hospital has fewer cases than expected nationally.

C. diff Rate

1.76

⚠ Above national benchmark

Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) infection rate. This gut bacteria can cause severe diarrhea — SIR below 1.0 is better than the national benchmark.

30-Day Readmission Rates

Lower readmission rates indicate better discharge planning and post-hospital care

Heart Failure Readmission

19.3%

Same as national avg

How often heart failure patients need to return to the hospital within 30 days. Lower is better — means patients were stable when discharged.

Pneumonia Readmission

16.1%

Same as national avg

Percentage of pneumonia patients readmitted within 30 days. Reflects quality of treatment and discharge instructions.

Timely & Effective Care

How consistently this hospital follows proven care processes, compared with the US average

ER Median Visit Time

131 min

▲ Better than US average (157.08 min)

Median time patients spent in the emergency department from arrival until they left, excluding patients transferred to another facility or psychiatric patients. Across US hospitals the typical (median) time is about 2.5 hours.

Left Before Seen Rate

▲ Better than US average (1.68%)

Percentage of ER patients who left before being evaluated by a provider. Lower is better — a high rate suggests the ER is overcrowded or understaffed.

Sepsis Treatment Rate

86%

▲ Better than US average (62.88%)

Percentage of sepsis and septic shock patients who received appropriate bundled care within required timeframes. Higher is better — sepsis is a life-threatening emergency where every hour counts.

Staff Flu Vaccination Rate

82%

▲ Better than US average (74.5%)

Percentage of healthcare workers who received the influenza vaccine. Vaccinated staff protect vulnerable patients from flu transmission during hospitalization.

Concurrent Opioid Prescribing

▲ Better than US average (15.02%)

Percentage of patients discharged with prescriptions for two or more opioids, or an opioid plus a benzodiazepine, at the same time. Lower is better — combining these drugs raises the risk of overdose.

Medicare Payment Estimates

What Medicare pays this hospital for common procedures vs the national average

Payment for pneumonia patients

$18,158

≈ Same as national avg

42 cases

Medicare payment amounts are risk-adjusted averages. Actual patient costs depend on insurance plan, deductibles, and other factors.

Check Your Insurance Coverage

Before scheduling care at KITTITAS VALLEY COMMUNITY HOSPITAL, verify it is in your insurance network. Out-of-network care can result in significantly higher costs.

Check Coverage on Healthcare.gov →

Nearby Hospitals

Other hospitals in ELLENSBURG and nearby ZIP codes in Washington

ASTRIA SUNNYSIDE HOSPITAL

SUNNYSIDE, WA 98944

★★★★★2/5

ASTRIA TOPPENISH HOSPITAL

TOPPENISH, WA 98948

Not rated

YAKIMA VALLEY MEMORIAL

YAKIMA, WA 98902

★★★★★1/5

NORTH VALLEY HOSPITAL

TONASKET, WA 98855

Not rated

QUINCY VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER

QUINCY, WA 98848

Not rated

MID VALLEY HOSPITAL & CLINIC

OMAK, WA 98841

Not rated

Other Critical Access Hospitals in Washington

39 critical access hospitals in Washington report to CMS — top rated shown first

See all 39 critical access hospitals in Washington →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Critical Access Hospital (CAH)?▼

Critical Access Hospitals are small rural hospitals with 25 or fewer inpatient beds, located more than 35 miles from the nearest hospital. They receive special Medicare funding to keep rural healthcare accessible.

Why doesn't this hospital have a star rating?▼

Critical Access Hospitals are exempt from CMS star ratings because their small patient volumes make statistical comparisons unreliable. This is not a reflection of quality.

Are Critical Access Hospitals safe?▼

CAHs meet federal safety standards and are regularly inspected. For complex procedures, they often transfer patients to larger facilities — which is the right call for patient safety.

Why is some clinical data missing?▼

CAHs report fewer measures to CMS because their patient volumes are too small to produce statistically valid results. Missing data does not mean poor quality.

Should I travel to a larger hospital instead?▼

For emergencies, go to the nearest hospital. For planned procedures like joint replacement or cancer surgery, discuss with your doctor whether the procedure volume at a larger hospital would be beneficial.

Data source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (data.cms.gov). Updated quarterly. CMS data loaded: June 2026.