Acute Care - Veterans Administration · Veterans Health Administration
Palo Alto VA Medical Center
- 3801 Miranda Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94304
- (650) 858-3939
- Acute Care - Veterans Administration
- Emergency services available 24/7
At a glance
Palo Alto VA Medical Center carries a 5-star CMS overall rating — above the national norm.
Healthcare-Associated Infections
lower is better · 36 measures reported
Rates of infections patients can acquire while receiving care, such as central-line and catheter-associated infections, MRSA, and C. difficile.
| Measure | Score | Compared to national |
|---|---|---|
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards): Lower Confidence Limit | 0.079 | Same as national |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards): Upper Confidence Limit | 1.557 | Same as national |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection: Number of Device Days | 4045 | Same as national |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards): Predicted Cases | 4.243 | Same as national |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards): Observed Cases | 2 | Same as national |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards) | 0.471 | Same as national |
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards): Lower Confidence Limit | 0.265 | Same as national |
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards): Upper Confidence Limit | 2.015 | Same as national |
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards): Number of Urinary Catheter Days | 4634 | Same as national |
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards): Predicted Cases | 4.788 | Same as national |
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards): Observed Cases | 4 | Same as national |
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards) | 0.835 | Same as national |
| SSI - Colon Surgery: Lower Confidence Limit | — | Not available |
| SSI - Colon Surgery: Upper Confidence Limit | — | Not available |
| SSI - Colon Surgery: Number of Procedures | — | Not available |
| SSI - Colon Surgery: Predicted Cases | — | Not available |
| SSI - Colon Surgery: Observed Cases | — | Not available |
| SSI - Colon Surgery | — | Not available |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy: Lower Confidence Limit | — | Not available |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy: Upper Confidence Limit | — | Not available |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy: Number of Procedures | — | Not available |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy: Predicted Cases | — | Not available |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy: Observed Cases | — | Not available |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy | — | Not available |
| MRSA Bacteremia: Lower Confidence Limit | — | Not available |
| MRSA Bacteremia: Upper Confidence Limit | — | Not available |
| MRSA Bacteremia: Patient Days | — | Not available |
| MRSA Bacteremia: Predicted Cases | — | Not available |
| MRSA Bacteremia: Observed Cases | — | Not available |
| MRSA Bacteremia | — | Not available |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): Lower Confidence Limit | — | Not available |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): Upper Confidence Limit | — | Not available |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): Patient Days | — | Not available |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): Predicted Cases | — | Not available |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): Observed Cases | — | Not available |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff) | — | Not available |
Complications & Deaths
lower is better · 20 measures reported
Rates of serious complications (like hip/knee replacement problems or accidental cuts during surgery) and 30-day mortality rates for common conditions.
| Measure | Score | Compared to national | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rate of complications for hip/knee replacement patients | 3.2 | Same as national | 213 |
| Hybrid Hospital-Wide All-Cause Risk Standardized Mortality Rate | — | Not available | — |
| Death rate for heart attack patients | 11 | Same as national | 108 |
| Death rate for CABG surgery patients | — | Not available | — |
| Death rate for COPD patients | 6.7 | Same as national | 121 |
| Death rate for heart failure patients | 8.8 | Same as national | 374 |
| Death rate for pneumonia patients | 11 | Better than national | 209 |
| Death rate for stroke patients | — | Not available | — |
| Pressure ulcer rate | 1.09 | Same as national | 4855 |
| Death rate among surgical inpatients with serious treatable complications | 145.26 | Same as national | 82 |
| Iatrogenic pneumothorax rate | 0.21 | Same as national | 6284 |
| In-hospital fall-associated fracture rate | 0.40 | Same as national | 6857 |
| Postoperative hemorrhage or hematoma rate | 2.68 | Same as national | 1687 |
| Postoperative acute kidney injury requiring dialysis rate | 1.11 | Same as national | 1045 |
| Postoperative respiratory failure rate | 4.37 | Better than national | 1005 |
| Perioperative pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis rate | 2.70 | Same as national | 1797 |
| Postoperative sepsis rate | 5.05 | Same as national | 1020 |
| Postoperative wound dehiscence rate | 1.63 | Same as national | 351 |
| Abdominopelvic accidental puncture or laceration rate | 0.84 | Same as national | 1012 |
| CMS Medicare PSI 90: Patient safety and adverse events composite | 0.95 | Same as national | — |
Unplanned Hospital Visits & Readmissions
lower is better · 14 measures reported
How often patients return to the hospital unexpectedly within 30 days of discharge — a marker of care quality and discharge planning.
| Measure | Score | Compared to national | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hospital return days for heart attack patients | 38.5 | Not available | 118 |
| Hospital return days for heart failure patients | -8.4 | Not available | 456 |
| Hospital return days for pneumonia patients | 10.7 | Not available | 244 |
| Hybrid Hospital-Wide All-Cause Readmission Measure (HWR) | 14.6 | Same as national | 2800 |
| Rate of unplanned hospital visits after colonoscopy (per 1,000 colonoscopies) | — | Not available | — |
| Rate of inpatient admissions for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy | — | Not available | — |
| Rate of emergency department (ED) visits for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy | — | Not available | — |
| Ratio of unplanned hospital visits after hospital outpatient surgery | — | Not available | — |
| Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) 30-Day Readmission Rate | 14.3 | Same as national | 118 |
| Rate of readmission for CABG | — | Not available | — |
| Rate of readmission for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients | 18.5 | Same as national | 135 |
| Heart failure (HF) 30-Day Readmission Rate | 17.8 | Same as national | 456 |
| Rate of readmission after hip/knee replacement | 4.3 | Same as national | 189 |
| Pneumonia (PN) 30-Day Readmission Rate | 15.9 | Same as national | 244 |
Patient Experience (HCAHPS)
higher is better · 9 measures reported
What patients say about their hospital stay — communication with nurses and doctors, responsiveness, cleanliness, pain management, and whether they would recommend the hospital.
| Measure | Score | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse communication - star rating | 4 | 484 |
| Doctor communication - star rating | 4 | 484 |
| Communication about medicines - star rating | 5 | 484 |
| Discharge information - star rating | 4 | 484 |
| Cleanliness - star rating | 4 | 484 |
| Quietness - star rating | 3 | 484 |
| Overall hospital rating - star rating | 4 | 484 |
| Recommend hospital - star rating | 5 | 484 |
| Summary star rating | 4 | 484 |
Frequently asked questions
- How is Palo Alto VA Medical Center rated?
- Palo Alto VA Medical Center has a 5 out of 5 CMS overall star rating as of the latest CMS release.
- Does Palo Alto VA Medical Center have emergency services?
- Yes. Palo Alto VA Medical Center operates a 24/7 emergency department.
- Where is Palo Alto VA Medical Center located?
- Palo Alto VA Medical Center is located at 3801 Miranda Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94304.
- What type of hospital is Palo Alto VA Medical Center?
- Palo Alto VA Medical Center is classified by CMS as a Acute Care - Veterans Administration facility (Veterans Health Administration).
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Data as of 2026-06-14. Source: CMS Provider Data Catalog. This is public data provided for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. See our methodology and editorial policy.