CMS certification 440039
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
1211 Medical Center Drive, Nashville, TN 37232
Vanderbilt University Medical Center has a CMS overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars. 80% of patients who answered CMS's national survey would definitely recommend it, against a US average of 71%. Of the 27 death, complication, infection and readmission measures CMS could compare, it does better than the nation on 7 and worse on none. Emergency patients spend a median of 4 h 29 min in its emergency department before leaving (US median 2 h 42 min).
Every figure on this page is published by CMS; we arrange and explain it, and score nothing ourselves.
What patients said
Answers from patients who stayed here, collected by CMS in the national HCAHPS survey: 1,643 completed surveys, 22% response rate, Oct 2024 – Sep 2025.
Emergency department
How long emergency patients spent here and how some time-critical care went, from CMS's timely and effective care measures, Oct 2024 – Sep 2025. CMS classes this emergency department's patient volume as very high; busier departments tend to have longer times, so the national median for departments of the same volume is shown too. These are medians over a year of visits, not a live wait time.
| Measure | This hospital | TN | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median time in the emergency department before leaving Lower is better · 361 visits sampled · US median for EDs of the same volume: 3 h 21 min | 4 h 29 min | 2 h 42 min | 2 h 42 min |
| Median time for psychiatric and mental health patients Lower is better · 26 visits sampled | 7 h 6 min | 5 h 8 min | 4 h 17 min |
| Left before being seen Lower is better · 140,484 patients | 1% | 3% | 2% |
| Stroke symptoms: brain scan read within 45 minutes Higher is better · 13 patients | 8% | 69% | 69% |
| Severe sepsis and septic shock: all recommended care given Higher is better · 100 patients | 58% | 59% | 65% |
How Vanderbilt University Medical Center compares with nearby hospitals
The closest hospitals of the same kind that CMS rates or surveys - the same city first, then the same county and ZIP area. Every figure is CMS's: the overall star rating, the share of patients who would definitely recommend the hospital, the median time emergency patients spent before leaving, and how many death, complication, infection and readmission measures CMS found better or worse than the national rate.
| Hospital | CMS stars | Would recommend | ER median time | Vs the nation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanderbilt University Medical CenterThis hospital | 5/5 | 80% | 4 h 29 min | 7 better |
| VA Middle Tennessee Healthcare SystemSame city | 4/5 | 75% | — | 2 better 1 worse |
| Tristar Southern Hills Medical CenterSame city | 4/5 | 64% | 1 h 59 min | 2 better 1 worse |
| Metro Nashville General HospitalSame city | 4/5 | 71% | 2 h 5 min | 1 better |
| Tristar Skyline Medical CenterSame city | 2/5 | 65% | 3 h | 2 better 2 worse |
| Ascension Saint Thomas HospitalSame city | 3/5 | 77% | 3 h 17 min | 7 better 2 worse |
Hospitals differ in size and in how sick their patients are. CMS adjusts its outcome measures for that, but a star or a percentage is a starting point for questions, not a verdict. All hospitals in Nashville.
Deaths
How many patients died within 30 days of admission, adjusted by CMS for how sick they were. Lower is better. Data from Jul 2022 – Jun 2025.
| Measure | CMS comparison | This hospital | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| All patients, hospital-wide 7,242 cases | Too few cases | 2.9% | 3.9% |
| Heart attack 223 cases | Too few cases | 12.1% | 11.9% |
| Heart failure 632 cases | Too few cases | 9.2% | 11.1% |
| Pneumonia 466 cases | Too few cases | 11.7% | 15.2% |
| Stroke 557 cases | Too few cases | 10.1% | 11.9% |
| COPD 135 cases | Too few cases | 9.6% | 8.6% |
| Heart bypass surgery (CABG) 228 cases | Too few cases | 1.8% | 2.4% |
Complications
How often patients had serious complications, most of them after surgery, adjusted for how sick they were. Lower is better. Data from Jul 2022 – Jun 2024.
| Measure | CMS comparison | This hospital | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serious complications, combined measure | No different | 1.13 likely 0.97 – 1.28 | 1 |
| After hip or knee replacement 156 cases | Too few cases | 4.5% | 4.1% |
| Deaths after a serious but treatable surgical complication 459 cases | No different | 145.72 per 1,000 likely 117.43 per 1,000 – 174.02 per 1,000 | 173.3 per 1,000 |
| Pressure ulcers (bed sores) 15,700 cases | Worse | 1.2 per 1,000 likely 0.85 per 1,000 – 1.54 per 1,000 | 0.63 per 1,000 |
| Collapsed lung caused by a procedure 17,585 cases | No different | 0.3 per 1,000 likely 0.14 per 1,000 – 0.46 per 1,000 | 0.21 per 1,000 |
| Broken bones from falls in the hospital 18,947 cases | No different | 0.21 per 1,000 likely 0.05 per 1,000 – 0.37 per 1,000 | 0.27 per 1,000 |
| Bleeding or hematoma after surgery 6,585 cases | Worse | 3.28 per 1,000 likely 2.41 per 1,000 – 4.15 per 1,000 | 2.34 per 1,000 |
| Kidney injury needing dialysis after surgery 4,100 cases | No different | 1.33 per 1,000 likely 0.44 per 1,000 – 2.22 per 1,000 | 1.67 per 1,000 |
| Breathing failure after surgery 4,115 cases | No different | 9.05 per 1,000 likely 6.38 per 1,000 – 11.73 per 1,000 | 9.42 per 1,000 |
| Blood clots in the lungs or legs after surgery 7,265 cases | No different | 3.16 per 1,000 likely 1.96 per 1,000 – 4.35 per 1,000 | 3.52 per 1,000 |
| Sepsis after surgery 4,325 cases | No different | 4.74 per 1,000 likely 3.02 per 1,000 – 6.45 per 1,000 | 5.27 per 1,000 |
| Surgical wound splitting open 1,745 cases | No different | 1.66 per 1,000 likely 0.48 per 1,000 – 2.84 per 1,000 | 1.77 per 1,000 |
| Accidental cut or tear during abdominal surgery 4,737 cases | No different | 1.21 per 1,000 likely 0.56 per 1,000 – 1.87 per 1,000 | 1.06 per 1,000 |
Infections caught in the hospital
Standardized infection ratio: 1.0 means as many infections as CMS predicted for a hospital like this one. Lower is better. Data from Oct 2024 – Sep 2025.
| Measure | CMS comparison | This hospital | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bloodstream infections from central lines (CLABSI) | Better | 0.7 likely 0.54 – 0.9 | 1 |
| Urinary tract infections from catheters (CAUTI) | Better | 0.59 likely 0.43 – 0.8 | 1 |
| Surgical site infections after colon surgery | No different | 1.34 likely 0.93 – 1.88 | 1 |
| Surgical site infections after abdominal hysterectomy | No different | 0.41 likely 0.02 – 2 | 1 |
| MRSA bloodstream infections | No different | 1.07 likely 0.78 – 1.45 | 1 |
| C. diff intestinal infections | Better | 0.24 likely 0.18 – 0.32 | 1 |
Readmissions and return visits
How often patients had to come back to a hospital after going home. Lower is better. Data from Jul 2023 – Jun 2025.
| Measure | CMS comparison | This hospital | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Readmitted after a heart attack 400 cases | Too few cases | 13.5% | 14.4% |
| Readmitted after heart failure 1,055 cases | Too few cases | 19.1% | 21.3% |
| Readmitted after pneumonia 668 cases | Too few cases | 16.4% | 17.3% |
| Readmitted after COPD 215 cases | Too few cases | 19.5% | 20% |
| Readmitted after heart bypass surgery 232 cases | Too few cases | 9.9% | 11% |
| Readmitted after hip or knee replacement 162 cases | Too few cases | 6.6% | 5.8% |
| Days back in hospital after a heart attack 288 cases | Too few cases | -18 days per 100 | — |
| Days back in hospital after heart failure 752 cases | Too few cases | -31.6 days per 100 | — |
| Days back in hospital after pneumonia 504 cases | Too few cases | -10.7 days per 100 | — |
| Unplanned visits after an outpatient colonoscopy 4,301 cases | No different | 10.9 per 1,000 likely 8.8 per 1,000 – 13.5 per 1,000 | 13 per 1,000 |
| Hospital admissions during outpatient chemotherapy 1,413 cases | No different | 11.4 per 100 likely 9.9 per 100 – 13 per 100 | 10.7 per 100 |
| ER visits during outpatient chemotherapy 1,413 cases | No different | 5.2 per 100 likely 4.2 per 100 – 6.4 per 100 | 5.4 per 100 |
| Unplanned visits after outpatient surgery 3,175 cases | Better | 0.7 likely 0.6 – 0.9 | — |
1 more measure had too few cases here to report.
Clinicians registered at this address
287 clinicians give this hospital's street address as their practice location in NPPES, the federal provider registry, plus 209 residents and trainees. The same address can take in offices and clinics in the building, and a listing does not prove admitting privileges or current employment.
| Specialty | Clinicians |
|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | 45 |
| Acute Care | 40 |
| Nurse Anesthetist, Certified Registered | 31 |
| Pharmacist | 25 |
| Anesthesiology | 17 |
| Dietitian, Registered | 14 |
| Physical Therapist | 13 |
| Family | 10 |
| Critical Care Medicine | 8 |
| Internal Medicine | 7 |
| Emergency Medicine | 6 |
| Occupational Therapist | 5 |
First 12 alphabetically
Money from drug and device companies
Drug and device makers have to report what they pay teaching hospitals to CMS's Open Payments program. At many teaching hospitals most of it is research funding, or royalties for inventions the hospital licensed to a company. A payment on its own does not show a conflict of interest.
- 2019 $26M
- 2020 $27.6M
- 2021 $28M
- 2022 $34.3M
- 2023 $44.2M
- 2024 $30.8M
- 2025 $37.3M
What the 2025 general payments were for
| Type of payment | Amount | Payments |
|---|---|---|
| Grants | $1.2M | 93 |
| Space rental and facility fees | $885,296 | 145 |
| Education | $73,474 | 21 |
| Medical devices and supplies on long-term loan | $73,241 | 47 |
| Speaking, teaching and other services | $57,885 | 20 |
| Consulting fees | $33,557 | 4 |
| Debt forgiveness | $27,602 | 12 |
| Charitable contributions | $10,025 | 2 |
| Gifts | $5,450 | 3 |
| Food and beverage | $320 | 2 |
Largest paying companies, 2025
| Company | Amount | Payments |
|---|---|---|
| Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC | $5.2M | 36 |
| Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | $1.8M | 15 |
| Ge Healthcare | $1.4M | 34 |
| Incyte Corporation | $1.4M | 8 |
| Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. | $1.2M | 156 |
| Pfizer INC. | $1.2M | 64 |
| Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. | $1.1M | 112 |
| Edwards Lifesciences Corporation | $1.1M | 70 |
Largest research studies funded here, 2025
| Study | Amount |
|---|---|
| A Phase 1 , Dose-escalation Study to Evaluate Safety and Tolerability of Belzutifan MK-6482 in Participants With Advanced Clear Cell Renal Cell Carci… Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC | $2.1M |
| A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-blinded, Placebo-controlled, Multicenter Study to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of ALXN1850 (Recombinant Alkaline Phosph… Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | $1.3M |
| A PHASE I, MULTICENTER, OPEN LABEL, ADAPTIVE DESIGN, DOSE ESCALATION STUDY OF KK8123 IN ADULT PATIENTS WITH X LINKED HYPOPHOSPHATEMIA KYOWA KIRIN, INC. | $919,208 |
| STUDY NAME# Distribution of pneumococcal serotypes in adult non-invasive pneumococcal pneumonia cases in the United States PNEUMO US Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC | $752,634 |
| A Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind, Parallel-Treatment Arm, 216 Week Study to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of Treatment With BAN2401 in Subjects With… Eisai Inc. | $711,010 |
| UX143-CL301 Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. | $688,145 |
| An Open-label, Randomized Phase 3 Study to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of Pembrolizumab MK-3475 in Combination with Belzutifan MK-6482 and Lenvatini… Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC | $589,342 |
| An Open-Label, Multicenter, Extension Study for Subjects Who Participated in Prior Clinical Studies of ASTX727 (Standard Dose) TAIHO ONCOLOGY, INC. | $565,667 |
Amounts are as the paying companies reported them to CMS; Open Payments data retrieved 13 Sep 2026. Full record on CMS Open Payments.
How to read this page
- Everything here is published by CMS on Care Compare. We arrange it and explain it; the star ratings and the better / worse verdicts are CMS's, not ours.
- “No different” is the most common result on most measures at most hospitals. CMS only calls a result better or worse when the difference from the national rate is statistically clear.
- Death, complication and readmission rates are adjusted by CMS for how sick patients were, so hospitals that treat sicker patients can be compared fairly.
- Infection results are ratios: 1.0 means as many infections as CMS predicted for a hospital like this one, below 1.0 is fewer.
- These are hospital-wide results. They do not rate an individual doctor, nurse or department, and they are not medical advice.
CMS Care Compare data retrieved 4 Oct 2026, refreshed weekly. Where this data comes from and how we handle it · Report an error
Common questions about Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Is Vanderbilt University Medical Center a good hospital?
Vanderbilt University Medical Center has a CMS overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars. Of the 27 death, complication, infection and readmission measures CMS could compare, it does better than the nation on 7 and worse on none. These are hospital-wide results published by CMS; they do not rate individual doctors or departments.
Would patients recommend Vanderbilt University Medical Center?
80% of patients who answered CMS's national survey would definitely recommend it, against a US average of 71%. The figure comes from 1,643 completed HCAHPS surveys.
How long is the wait in the Vanderbilt University Medical Center emergency room?
Emergency patients spend a median of 4 h 29 min in its emergency department before leaving (US median 2 h 42 min). Among US emergency departments with very high patient volume, like this one, the median is 3 h 21 min. 1% of emergency patients left before being seen (US 2%). These are medians over a year of visits, not a live wait time.
Does Vanderbilt University Medical Center receive money from drug and device companies?
Drug and device makers reported $37.3M in payments to Vanderbilt University Medical Center for 2025, most of it research funding, under the federal Open Payments program. A payment on its own does not show a conflict of interest.