Acute Care Hospitals · Voluntary non-profit - Church
St Joseph Medical Center
- 1717 South J Street, Tacoma, WA 98405
- (253) 627-4101
- Acute Care Hospitals
- Emergency services available 24/7
At a glance
St Joseph Medical Center carries a 3-star CMS overall rating — in line with the national norm. On healthcare-associated infection measures, it performs better than the national average on 24 and worse on 0. For 30-day readmissions, it beats the national rate on 1 measure and trails on 0.
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 | 0.092 | Better than national |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards): Upper Confidence Limit | 0.559 | Better than national |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection: Number of Device Days | 17705 | Better than national |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards): Predicted Cases | 19.842 | Better than national |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards): Observed Cases | 5 | Better than national |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards) | 0.252 | Better than national |
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards): Lower Confidence Limit | 0.050 | Better than national |
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards): Upper Confidence Limit | 0.383 | Better than national |
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards): Number of Urinary Catheter Days | 14909 | Better than national |
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards): Predicted Cases | 25.219 | Better than national |
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards): Observed Cases | 4 | Better than national |
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards) | 0.159 | Better than national |
| SSI - Colon Surgery: Lower Confidence Limit | 0.028 | Better than national |
| SSI - Colon Surgery: Upper Confidence Limit | 0.554 | Better than national |
| SSI - Colon Surgery: Number of Procedures | 459 | Better than national |
| SSI - Colon Surgery: Predicted Cases | 11.931 | Better than national |
| SSI - Colon Surgery: Observed Cases | 2 | Better than national |
| SSI - Colon Surgery | 0.168 | Better than national |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy: Lower Confidence Limit | 0.036 | Same as national |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy: Upper Confidence Limit | 3.528 | Same as national |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy: Number of Procedures | 184 | Same as national |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy: Predicted Cases | 1.398 | Same as national |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy: Observed Cases | 1 | Same as national |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy | 0.715 | Same as national |
| MRSA Bacteremia: Lower Confidence Limit | 0.286 | Same as national |
| MRSA Bacteremia: Upper Confidence Limit | 1.169 | Same as national |
| MRSA Bacteremia: Patient Days | 129222 | Same as national |
| MRSA Bacteremia: Predicted Cases | 12.995 | Same as national |
| MRSA Bacteremia: Observed Cases | 8 | Same as national |
| MRSA Bacteremia | 0.616 | Same as national |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): Lower Confidence Limit | 0.165 | Better than national |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): Upper Confidence Limit | 0.457 | Better than national |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): Patient Days | 115246 | Better than national |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): Predicted Cases | 52.965 | Better than national |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): Observed Cases | 15 | Better than national |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff) | 0.283 | Better than national |
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 | — | Not available | — |
| Hybrid Hospital-Wide All-Cause Risk Standardized Mortality Rate | 3.5 | Better than national | 1602 |
| Death rate for heart attack patients | 11.5 | Same as national | 161 |
| Death rate for CABG surgery patients | 1.9 | Same as national | 111 |
| Death rate for COPD patients | 11.8 | Same as national | 57 |
| Death rate for heart failure patients | 11.6 | Same as national | 388 |
| Death rate for pneumonia patients | 15.9 | Same as national | 193 |
| Death rate for stroke patients | 16.8 | Worse than national | 261 |
| Pressure ulcer rate | 0.11 | Same as national | 5564 |
| Death rate among surgical inpatients with serious treatable complications | 188.25 | Same as national | 146 |
| Iatrogenic pneumothorax rate | 0.18 | Same as national | 6201 |
| In-hospital fall-associated fracture rate | 0.24 | Same as national | 6784 |
| Postoperative hemorrhage or hematoma rate | 2.08 | Same as national | 2042 |
| Postoperative acute kidney injury requiring dialysis rate | 1.02 | Same as national | 930 |
| Postoperative respiratory failure rate | 8.67 | Same as national | 820 |
| Perioperative pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis rate | 3.28 | Same as national | 2128 |
| Postoperative sepsis rate | 6.74 | Same as national | 928 |
| Postoperative wound dehiscence rate | 1.82 | Same as national | 447 |
| Abdominopelvic accidental puncture or laceration rate | 0.90 | Same as national | 1524 |
| CMS Medicare PSI 90: Patient safety and adverse events composite | 0.83 | 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 | 4.9 | Not available | 220 |
| Hospital return days for heart failure patients | -28.9 | Not available | 445 |
| Hospital return days for pneumonia patients | 20.5 | Not available | 189 |
| Hybrid Hospital-Wide All-Cause Readmission Measure (HWR) | 14.2 | Same as national | 2749 |
| Rate of unplanned hospital visits after colonoscopy (per 1,000 colonoscopies) | 13.8 | Same as national | 317 |
| Rate of inpatient admissions for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy | 9.7 | Same as national | 30 |
| Rate of emergency department (ED) visits for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy | 4.9 | Same as national | 30 |
| Ratio of unplanned hospital visits after hospital outpatient surgery | 1.1 | Same as national | 668 |
| Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) 30-Day Readmission Rate | 13.5 | Same as national | 220 |
| Rate of readmission for CABG | 10.5 | Same as national | 110 |
| Rate of readmission for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients | 19.2 | Same as national | 62 |
| Heart failure (HF) 30-Day Readmission Rate | 17.1 | Better than national | 445 |
| Rate of readmission after hip/knee replacement | — | Not available | — |
| Pneumonia (PN) 30-Day Readmission Rate | 15.9 | Same as national | 189 |
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 | 3 | 510 |
| Doctor communication - star rating | 3 | 510 |
| Communication about medicines - star rating | 2 | 510 |
| Discharge information - star rating | 3 | 510 |
| Cleanliness - star rating | 2 | 510 |
| Quietness - star rating | 2 | 510 |
| Overall hospital rating - star rating | 3 | 510 |
| Recommend hospital - star rating | 3 | 510 |
| Summary star rating | 3 | 510 |
Timely & Effective Care
higher is better (unless a wait time) · 30 measures reported
How consistently hospitals follow recommended care processes — for example, giving heart-attack patients aspirin on arrival, or the average time spent in the emergency department.
| Measure | Score | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency department volume | high | — |
| Global Malnutrition Composite Score | — | — |
| Global Malnutrition Composite Score: Malnutrition Diagnosis Documented | — | — |
| Global Malnutrition Composite Score: Malnutrition Risk Screening | — | — |
| Global Malnutrition Composite Score: Nutrition Assessment | — | — |
| Global Malnutrition Composite Score: Nutritional Care Plan | — | — |
| Hospital Harm - Severe Hyperglycemia | — | — |
| Hospital Harm - Severe Hypoglycemia | — | — |
| Hospital Harm - Opioid Related Adverse Events | — | — |
| Healthcare workers given influenza vaccination | 80 | 4472 |
| Average (median) time all patients spent in the emergency department before leaving from the visit, including psychiatric/mental health patients and patients who were transferred to another facility. A lower number of minutes is better | 217 | 399 |
| Average (median) time patients spent in the emergency department before leaving from the visit, excluding patients transferred to another facility or psychiatric care/mental health patients. A lower number of minutes is better | 212 | 369 |
| Average (median) time psychiatric/mental health patients spent in the emergency department before leaving from the visit. A lower number of minutes is better | 430 | 28 |
| Average (median) time patients spent in the emergency department before being transferred to another facility. A lower number of minutes is better | — | — |
| Left before being seen | 1 | 46068 |
| Head CT results | 36 | 11 |
| Endoscopy/polyp surveillance: appropriate follow-up interval for normal colonoscopy in average risk patients | 98 | 43 |
| Improvement in Patient's Visual Function within 90 Days Following Cataract Surgery | — | — |
| ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) | — | — |
| Safe Use of Opioids - Concurrent Prescribing | 11 | 6419 |
| Appropriate care for severe sepsis and septic shock | 53 | 326 |
| Septic Shock 3-Hour Bundle | 51 | 82 |
| Septic Shock 6-Hour Bundle | 91 | 33 |
| Severe Sepsis 3-Hour Bundle | 73 | 326 |
| Severe Sepsis 6-Hour Bundle | 90 | 167 |
| Discharged on Antithrombotic Therapy | — | — |
| Anticoagulation Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation/Flutter | — | — |
| Antithrombotic Therapy by End of Hospital Day 2 | 93 | 446 |
| Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis | 87 | 8778 |
| Intensive Care Unit Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis | 98 | 2466 |
Maternal Health
lower is better · 4 measures reported
Measures of maternal outcomes and safe delivery practices, including severe complications during childbirth.
| Measure | Score | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| Cesarean Birth | — | — |
| Risk Adjusted Severe Obstetric Complications (All) | — | — |
| Risk Adjusted Severe Obstetric Complications (excluding blood-transfusion-only cases) | — | — |
| Maternal Morbidity Structural Measure | Yes | — |
Frequently asked questions
- How is St Joseph Medical Center rated?
- St Joseph Medical Center has a 3 out of 5 CMS overall star rating as of the latest CMS release.
- Does St Joseph Medical Center have emergency services?
- Yes. St Joseph Medical Center operates a 24/7 emergency department.
- Where is St Joseph Medical Center located?
- St Joseph Medical Center is located at 1717 South J Street, Tacoma, WA 98405.
- What type of hospital is St Joseph Medical Center?
- St Joseph Medical Center is classified by CMS as a Acute Care Hospitals facility (Voluntary non-profit - Church).
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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.