Acute Care Hospitals · Government - Local
Watauga Medical Center
- 336 Deerfield Road, Boone, NC 28607
- (828) 262-4100
- Acute Care Hospitals
- Emergency services available 24/7
At a glance
Watauga 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 6 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 | — | Not available |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards): Upper Confidence Limit | — | Not available |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection: Number of Device Days | 1082 | Not available |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards): Predicted Cases | 0.972 | Not available |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards): Observed Cases | 0 | Not available |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards) | — | Not available |
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards): Lower Confidence Limit | — | Same as national |
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards): Upper Confidence Limit | 2.138 | Same as national |
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards): Number of Urinary Catheter Days | 1381 | Same as national |
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards): Predicted Cases | 1.401 | Same as national |
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards): Observed Cases | 0 | Same as national |
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards) | 0.000 | Same as national |
| SSI - Colon Surgery: Lower Confidence Limit | 0.047 | Same as national |
| SSI - Colon Surgery: Upper Confidence Limit | 4.596 | Same as national |
| SSI - Colon Surgery: Number of Procedures | 45 | Same as national |
| SSI - Colon Surgery: Predicted Cases | 1.073 | Same as national |
| SSI - Colon Surgery: Observed Cases | 1 | Same as national |
| SSI - Colon Surgery | 0.932 | Same as national |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy: Lower Confidence Limit | — | Not available |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy: Upper Confidence Limit | — | Not available |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy: Number of Procedures | 22 | Not available |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy: Predicted Cases | 0.184 | Not available |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy: Observed Cases | 0 | Not available |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy | — | Not available |
| MRSA Bacteremia: Lower Confidence Limit | — | Same as national |
| MRSA Bacteremia: Upper Confidence Limit | 2.282 | Same as national |
| MRSA Bacteremia: Patient Days | 21629 | Same as national |
| MRSA Bacteremia: Predicted Cases | 1.313 | Same as national |
| MRSA Bacteremia: Observed Cases | 0 | Same as national |
| MRSA Bacteremia | 0.000 | Same as national |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): Lower Confidence Limit | 0.073 | Better than national |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): Upper Confidence Limit | 0.784 | Better than national |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): Patient Days | 20745 | Better than national |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): Predicted Cases | 10.411 | Better than national |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): Observed Cases | 3 | Better than national |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff) | 0.288 | 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 | 3.3 | Same as national | 74 |
| Hybrid Hospital-Wide All-Cause Risk Standardized Mortality Rate | 4.1 | Same as national | 682 |
| Death rate for heart attack patients | 12.3 | Same as national | 133 |
| Death rate for CABG surgery patients | — | Not available | — |
| Death rate for COPD patients | 12.2 | Same as national | 84 |
| Death rate for heart failure patients | 10.7 | Same as national | 145 |
| Death rate for pneumonia patients | 15.2 | Same as national | 174 |
| Death rate for stroke patients | 13.2 | Same as national | 90 |
| Pressure ulcer rate | 0.34 | Same as national | 1880 |
| Death rate among surgical inpatients with serious treatable complications | 153.05 | Same as national | 27 |
| Iatrogenic pneumothorax rate | 0.18 | Same as national | 2502 |
| In-hospital fall-associated fracture rate | 0.25 | Same as national | 2365 |
| Postoperative hemorrhage or hematoma rate | 2.47 | Same as national | 571 |
| Postoperative acute kidney injury requiring dialysis rate | 1.60 | Same as national | 191 |
| Postoperative respiratory failure rate | 9.24 | Same as national | 180 |
| Perioperative pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis rate | 4.38 | Same as national | 603 |
| Postoperative sepsis rate | 5.76 | Same as national | 166 |
| Postoperative wound dehiscence rate | 1.72 | Same as national | 77 |
| Abdominopelvic accidental puncture or laceration rate | 0.98 | Same as national | 277 |
| CMS Medicare PSI 90: Patient safety and adverse events composite | 0.96 | 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 | -14 | Not available | 117 |
| Hospital return days for heart failure patients | 12.8 | Not available | 164 |
| Hospital return days for pneumonia patients | 17.6 | Not available | 180 |
| Hybrid Hospital-Wide All-Cause Readmission Measure (HWR) | 15.1 | Same as national | 1025 |
| Rate of unplanned hospital visits after colonoscopy (per 1,000 colonoscopies) | 12.1 | Same as national | 1683 |
| Rate of inpatient admissions for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy | 9.1 | Same as national | 105 |
| Rate of emergency department (ED) visits for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy | 6.8 | Same as national | 105 |
| Ratio of unplanned hospital visits after hospital outpatient surgery | 0.9 | Same as national | 543 |
| Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) 30-Day Readmission Rate | 13.2 | Same as national | 117 |
| Rate of readmission for CABG | — | Not available | — |
| Rate of readmission for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients | 18.2 | Same as national | 84 |
| Heart failure (HF) 30-Day Readmission Rate | 20.3 | Same as national | 164 |
| Rate of readmission after hip/knee replacement | 5.4 | Same as national | 77 |
| Pneumonia (PN) 30-Day Readmission Rate | 16.3 | Same as national | 180 |
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 | 557 |
| Doctor communication - star rating | 4 | 557 |
| Communication about medicines - star rating | 4 | 557 |
| Discharge information - star rating | 4 | 557 |
| Cleanliness - star rating | 3 | 557 |
| Quietness - star rating | 4 | 557 |
| Overall hospital rating - star rating | 4 | 557 |
| Recommend hospital - star rating | 4 | 557 |
| Summary star rating | 4 | 557 |
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 | medium | — |
| 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 | 0 | 2199 |
| Healthcare workers given influenza vaccination | 92 | 1168 |
| 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 | 208 | 397 |
| 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 | 203 | 372 |
| Average (median) time psychiatric/mental health patients spent in the emergency department before leaving from the visit. A lower number of minutes is better | 266 | 15 |
| Average (median) time patients spent in the emergency department before being transferred to another facility. A lower number of minutes is better | 524 | 12 |
| Left before being seen | 1 | 23682 |
| Head CT results | 64 | 11 |
| Endoscopy/polyp surveillance: appropriate follow-up interval for normal colonoscopy in average risk patients | 97 | 104 |
| Improvement in Patient's Visual Function within 90 Days Following Cataract Surgery | — | — |
| ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) | — | — |
| Safe Use of Opioids - Concurrent Prescribing | 15 | 1249 |
| Appropriate care for severe sepsis and septic shock | 40 | 166 |
| Septic Shock 3-Hour Bundle | 45 | 58 |
| Septic Shock 6-Hour Bundle | 88 | 25 |
| Severe Sepsis 3-Hour Bundle | 67 | 166 |
| Severe Sepsis 6-Hour Bundle | 91 | 80 |
| Discharged on Antithrombotic Therapy | 97 | 75 |
| Anticoagulation Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation/Flutter | — | — |
| Antithrombotic Therapy by End of Hospital Day 2 | 92 | 73 |
| Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis | — | — |
| Intensive Care Unit Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis | — | — |
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 Watauga Medical Center rated?
- Watauga Medical Center has a 3 out of 5 CMS overall star rating as of the latest CMS release.
- Does Watauga Medical Center have emergency services?
- Yes. Watauga Medical Center operates a 24/7 emergency department.
- Where is Watauga Medical Center located?
- Watauga Medical Center is located at 336 Deerfield Road, Boone, NC 28607.
- What type of hospital is Watauga Medical Center?
- Watauga Medical Center is classified by CMS as a Acute Care Hospitals facility (Government - Local).
Compare with nearby hospitals
- Compare side-by-side →Not rated overall
Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority
Cherokee, NC
- Compare side-by-side →Not rated overall
Charles a Cannon Jr Memorial Hospital
Linville, NC
- Compare side-by-side →Not rated overall
Sparta, NC
- Compare side-by-side →Not rated overall
Cape Fear Valley-Bladen County Hospital
Elizabethtown, NC
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.