Acute Care Hospitals · Voluntary non-profit - Private
University Health System, Inc
- 1924 Alcoa Highway, Knoxville, TN 37920
- (865) 305-9000
- Acute Care Hospitals
- Emergency services available 24/7
At a glance
University Health System, Inc carries a 4-star CMS overall rating — above the national norm. On healthcare-associated infection measures, it performs better than the national average on 18 and worse 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 | 0.332 | Better than national |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards): Upper Confidence Limit | 0.921 | Better than national |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection: Number of Device Days | 24490 | Better than national |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards): Predicted Cases | 26.269 | Better than national |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards): Observed Cases | 15 | Better than national |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards) | 0.571 | Better than national |
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards): Lower Confidence Limit | 0.180 | Better than national |
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards): Upper Confidence Limit | 0.500 | Better than national |
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards): Number of Urinary Catheter Days | 31799 | Better than national |
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards): Predicted Cases | 48.328 | Better than national |
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards): Observed Cases | 15 | Better than national |
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards) | 0.310 | Better than national |
| SSI - Colon Surgery: Lower Confidence Limit | 0.247 | Same as national |
| SSI - Colon Surgery: Upper Confidence Limit | 1.010 | Same as national |
| SSI - Colon Surgery: Number of Procedures | 517 | Same as national |
| SSI - Colon Surgery: Predicted Cases | 15.034 | Same as national |
| SSI - Colon Surgery: Observed Cases | 8 | Same as national |
| SSI - Colon Surgery | 0.532 | Same as national |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy: Lower Confidence Limit | 0.028 | Same as national |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy: Upper Confidence Limit | 2.743 | Same as national |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy: Number of Procedures | 198 | Same as national |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy: Predicted Cases | 1.798 | Same as national |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy: Observed Cases | 1 | Same as national |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy | 0.556 | Same as national |
| MRSA Bacteremia: Lower Confidence Limit | 0.566 | Same as national |
| MRSA Bacteremia: Upper Confidence Limit | 1.339 | Same as national |
| MRSA Bacteremia: Patient Days | 233760 | Same as national |
| MRSA Bacteremia: Predicted Cases | 23.570 | Same as national |
| MRSA Bacteremia: Observed Cases | 21 | Same as national |
| MRSA Bacteremia | 0.891 | Same as national |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): Lower Confidence Limit | 0.210 | Better than national |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): Upper Confidence Limit | 0.416 | Better than national |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): Patient Days | 212846 | Better than national |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): Predicted Cases | 110.146 | Better than national |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): Observed Cases | 33 | Better than national |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff) | 0.300 | 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 | 3.8 | Same as national | 64 |
| Hybrid Hospital-Wide All-Cause Risk Standardized Mortality Rate | 4.3 | Same as national | 2966 |
| Death rate for heart attack patients | 12.1 | Same as national | 181 |
| Death rate for CABG surgery patients | 2.8 | Same as national | 136 |
| Death rate for COPD patients | 7.2 | Same as national | 150 |
| Death rate for heart failure patients | 10 | Same as national | 547 |
| Death rate for pneumonia patients | 16.4 | Same as national | 751 |
| Death rate for stroke patients | 15.4 | Worse than national | 600 |
| Pressure ulcer rate | 1.78 | Worse than national | 9199 |
| Death rate among surgical inpatients with serious treatable complications | 218.76 | Worse than national | 354 |
| Iatrogenic pneumothorax rate | 0.27 | Same as national | 11971 |
| In-hospital fall-associated fracture rate | 0.47 | Worse than national | 12153 |
| Postoperative hemorrhage or hematoma rate | 3.27 | Same as national | 3577 |
| Postoperative acute kidney injury requiring dialysis rate | 1.26 | Same as national | 1688 |
| Postoperative respiratory failure rate | 9.50 | Same as national | 1582 |
| Perioperative pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis rate | 4.04 | Same as national | 3895 |
| Postoperative sepsis rate | 6.41 | Same as national | 1624 |
| Postoperative wound dehiscence rate | 2.51 | Same as national | 761 |
| Abdominopelvic accidental puncture or laceration rate | 0.89 | Same as national | 2368 |
| CMS Medicare PSI 90: Patient safety and adverse events composite | 1.44 | Worse than 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 | Not available | 194 |
| Hospital return days for heart failure patients | -25.5 | Not available | 697 |
| Hospital return days for pneumonia patients | -7.8 | Not available | 832 |
| Hybrid Hospital-Wide All-Cause Readmission Measure (HWR) | 14.9 | Same as national | 4969 |
| Rate of unplanned hospital visits after colonoscopy (per 1,000 colonoscopies) | 11.8 | Same as national | 2004 |
| Rate of inpatient admissions for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy | 11.4 | Same as national | 744 |
| Rate of emergency department (ED) visits for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy | 4.5 | Same as national | 744 |
| Ratio of unplanned hospital visits after hospital outpatient surgery | 0.9 | Same as national | 1378 |
| Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) 30-Day Readmission Rate | 13.5 | Same as national | 194 |
| Rate of readmission for CABG | 11 | Same as national | 133 |
| Rate of readmission for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients | 15.8 | Same as national | 166 |
| Heart failure (HF) 30-Day Readmission Rate | 18.4 | Same as national | 697 |
| Rate of readmission after hip/knee replacement | 5.7 | Same as national | 63 |
| Pneumonia (PN) 30-Day Readmission Rate | 14.6 | Same as national | 832 |
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 | 2066 |
| Doctor communication - star rating | 4 | 2066 |
| Communication about medicines - star rating | 2 | 2066 |
| Discharge information - star rating | 3 | 2066 |
| Cleanliness - star rating | 3 | 2066 |
| Quietness - star rating | 3 | 2066 |
| Overall hospital rating - star rating | 4 | 2066 |
| Recommend hospital - star rating | 4 | 2066 |
| Summary star rating | 3 | 2066 |
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 | very 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 | 84 | 7171 |
| 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 | 256 | 410 |
| 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 | 245 | 385 |
| Average (median) time psychiatric/mental health patients spent in the emergency department before leaving from the visit. A lower number of minutes is better | 917 | 25 |
| 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 | 0 | 79199 |
| Head CT results | 78 | 18 |
| Endoscopy/polyp surveillance: appropriate follow-up interval for normal colonoscopy in average risk patients | 100 | 143 |
| Improvement in Patient's Visual Function within 90 Days Following Cataract Surgery | — | — |
| ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) | 2 | 43 |
| Safe Use of Opioids - Concurrent Prescribing | 14 | 10216 |
| Appropriate care for severe sepsis and septic shock | 53 | 149 |
| Septic Shock 3-Hour Bundle | 66 | 41 |
| Septic Shock 6-Hour Bundle | 89 | 19 |
| Severe Sepsis 3-Hour Bundle | 70 | 149 |
| Severe Sepsis 6-Hour Bundle | 89 | 81 |
| Discharged on Antithrombotic Therapy | 98 | 669 |
| Anticoagulation Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation/Flutter | — | — |
| Antithrombotic Therapy by End of Hospital Day 2 | 92 | 598 |
| Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis | — | — |
| Intensive Care Unit Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis | 95 | 6145 |
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 University Health System, Inc rated?
- University Health System, Inc has a 4 out of 5 CMS overall star rating as of the latest CMS release.
- Does University Health System, Inc have emergency services?
- Yes. University Health System, Inc operates a 24/7 emergency department.
- Where is University Health System, Inc located?
- University Health System, Inc is located at 1924 Alcoa Highway, Knoxville, TN 37920.
- What type of hospital is University Health System, Inc?
- University Health System, Inc is classified by CMS as a Acute Care Hospitals facility (Voluntary non-profit - Private).
Compare with nearby hospitals
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Knoxville, TN
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.