CMS certification 520098
University of Wi Hospitals & Clinics Authority
600 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53792
University of Wi Hospitals & Clinics Authority has a CMS overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars. 82% 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 6 and worse on 1. Emergency patients spend a median of 3 h 34 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: 3,209 completed surveys, 34% 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 | WI | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median time in the emergency department before leaving Lower is better · 370 visits sampled · US median for EDs of the same volume: 3 h 21 min | 3 h 34 min | 2 h 17 min | 2 h 42 min |
| Median time for psychiatric and mental health patients Lower is better · 15 visits sampled | 6 h 25 min | 3 h 23 min | 4 h 17 min |
| Left before being seen Lower is better · 107,674 patients | 1% | 2% | 2% |
| Stroke symptoms: brain scan read within 45 minutes Higher is better · 25 patients | 72% | 74% | 69% |
| Severe sepsis and septic shock: all recommended care given Higher is better · 121 patients | 56% | 72% | 65% |
How University of Wi Hospitals & Clinics Authority 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Wi Hospitals & Clinics AuthorityThis hospital | 5/5 | 82% | 3 h 34 min | 6 better 1 worse |
| SSM Health St Mary's Hospital - MadisonSame city | 4/5 | 74% | 3 h 10 min | 3 better 1 worse |
| Unitypoint Health - MeriterSame city | 5/5 | 76% | 2 h 22 min | 5 better 2 worse |
| Madison VA Medical CenterSame city | 5/5 | 88% | — | 4 better 1 worse |
| Stoughton HospitalSame county · Stoughton | 3/5 | 90% | 2 h 34 min | 1 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 Madison.
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 6,380 cases | Too few cases | 2.5% | 3.9% |
| Heart attack 365 cases | Too few cases | 11.6% | 11.9% |
| Heart failure 619 cases | Too few cases | 8.5% | 11.1% |
| Pneumonia 582 cases | Too few cases | 9.3% | 15.2% |
| Stroke 523 cases | Too few cases | 10.7% | 11.9% |
| COPD 126 cases | Too few cases | 6.8% | 8.6% |
| Heart bypass surgery (CABG) 173 cases | Too few cases | 2.1% | 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 | 1.04 likely 0.87 – 1.22 | 1 |
| After hip or knee replacement 194 cases | Too few cases | 3.5% | 4.1% |
| Deaths after a serious but treatable surgical complication 341 cases | No different | 181.11 per 1,000 likely 148.97 per 1,000 – 213.24 per 1,000 | 173.3 per 1,000 |
| Pressure ulcers (bed sores) 13,588 cases | No different | 0.71 per 1,000 likely 0.33 per 1,000 – 1.09 per 1,000 | 0.63 per 1,000 |
| Collapsed lung caused by a procedure 14,967 cases | No different | 0.2 per 1,000 likely 0.04 per 1,000 – 0.37 per 1,000 | 0.21 per 1,000 |
| Broken bones from falls in the hospital 16,098 cases | No different | 0.23 per 1,000 likely 0.06 per 1,000 – 0.39 per 1,000 | 0.27 per 1,000 |
| Bleeding or hematoma after surgery 4,743 cases | No different | 2.56 per 1,000 likely 1.56 per 1,000 – 3.56 per 1,000 | 2.34 per 1,000 |
| Kidney injury needing dialysis after surgery 3,095 cases | No different | 1.8 per 1,000 likely 0.76 per 1,000 – 2.84 per 1,000 | 1.67 per 1,000 |
| Breathing failure after surgery 2,990 cases | No different | 9.25 per 1,000 likely 6.19 per 1,000 – 12.31 per 1,000 | 9.42 per 1,000 |
| Blood clots in the lungs or legs after surgery 5,729 cases | Worse | 4.93 per 1,000 likely 3.64 per 1,000 – 6.22 per 1,000 | 3.52 per 1,000 |
| Sepsis after surgery 3,097 cases | No different | 3.89 per 1,000 likely 2.03 per 1,000 – 5.75 per 1,000 | 5.27 per 1,000 |
| Surgical wound splitting open 1,690 cases | No different | 2 per 1,000 likely 0.84 per 1,000 – 3.16 per 1,000 | 1.77 per 1,000 |
| Accidental cut or tear during abdominal surgery 4,035 cases | No different | 1.41 per 1,000 likely 0.74 per 1,000 – 2.09 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 | 0.59 likely 0.38 – 0.89 | 1 |
| Urinary tract infections from catheters (CAUTI) | Better | 0.49 likely 0.28 – 0.79 | 1 |
| Surgical site infections after colon surgery | Worse | 1.52 likely 1.01 – 2.2 | 1 |
| Surgical site infections after abdominal hysterectomy | No different | 0.41 likely 0.02 – 2 | 1 |
| MRSA bloodstream infections | No different | 0.71 likely 0.36 – 1.26 | 1 |
| C. diff intestinal infections | Better | 0.61 likely 0.5 – 0.75 | 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 487 cases | Too few cases | 13.9% | 14.4% |
| Readmitted after heart failure 939 cases | Too few cases | 20% | 21.3% |
| Readmitted after pneumonia 718 cases | Too few cases | 16.5% | 17.3% |
| Readmitted after COPD 234 cases | Too few cases | 21.6% | 20% |
| Readmitted after heart bypass surgery 170 cases | Too few cases | 10.8% | 11% |
| Readmitted after hip or knee replacement 203 cases | Too few cases | 5.3% | 5.8% |
| Days back in hospital after a heart attack 407 cases | Too few cases | -2 days per 100 | — |
| Days back in hospital after heart failure 700 cases | Too few cases | -5.7 days per 100 | — |
| Days back in hospital after pneumonia 592 cases | Too few cases | 7.6 days per 100 | — |
| Unplanned visits after an outpatient colonoscopy 7,655 cases | No different | 12.2 per 1,000 likely 10.2 per 1,000 – 14.7 per 1,000 | 13 per 1,000 |
| Hospital admissions during outpatient chemotherapy 1,266 cases | No different | 9.6 per 100 likely 8.2 per 100 – 11.4 per 100 | 10.7 per 100 |
| ER visits during outpatient chemotherapy 1,266 cases | No different | 6.5 per 100 likely 5.4 per 100 – 7.9 per 100 | 5.4 per 100 |
| Unplanned visits after outpatient surgery 2,865 cases | No different | 0.9 likely 0.7 – 1 | — |
1 more measure had too few cases here to report.
Clinicians registered at this address
3,445 clinicians give this hospital's street address as their practice location in NPPES, the federal provider registry, plus 93 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 |
|---|---|
| Pharmacist | 347 |
| Nurse Practitioner | 186 |
| Anesthesiology | 163 |
| Diagnostic Radiology | 143 |
| Emergency Medicine | 128 |
| Physical Therapist | 125 |
| Internal Medicine | 121 |
| Pediatrics | 104 |
| Hospitalist | 103 |
| Medical | 103 |
| Occupational Therapist | 88 |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | 79 |
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 $5.2M
- 2020 $3.3M
- 2021 $4M
- 2022 $3.7M
- 2023 $3.9M
- 2024 $3M
- 2025 $2M
What the 2025 general payments were for
| Type of payment | Amount | Payments |
|---|---|---|
| Grants | $72,275 | 10 |
| Space rental and facility fees | $13,039 | 16 |
| Charitable contributions | $4,766 | 1 |
| Speaking, teaching and other services | $2,763 | 3 |
| Medical devices and supplies on long-term loan | $1,540 | 4 |
| Consulting fees | $748 | 4 |
| Debt forgiveness | $208 | 1 |
| Honoraria | $85 | 1 |
Largest paying companies, 2025
| Company | Amount | Payments |
|---|---|---|
| Pfizer INC. | $488,302 | 19 |
| Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc | $430,416 | 2 |
| Celgene Corporation | $278,021 | 2 |
| E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C. | $135,468 | 2 |
| Y-mAbs Therapeutics, Inc. | $121,702 | 54 |
| Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc. | $119,743 | 5 |
| Atrility Medical, Inc. | $82,582 | 1 |
| Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. | $68,968 | 11 |
Largest research studies funded here, 2025
| Study | Amount |
|---|---|
| PHASE II STUDY OF NANOLIPOSOMAL IRINOTECAN WITH TAS102 AND BEVACIZUMAB FOR PATIENTS WITH METASTATIC COLORECTAL CANCER Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc · NCT03368963 | $430,416 |
| AN INTERVENTIONAL OPENLABEL RANDOMIZED MULTICENTER PHASE 3 STUDY OF PF07220060 PLUS LETROZOLE COMPARED TO CDK46 INHIBITOR PLUS LETROZOLE IN PARTICIPA… PFIZER INC. | $287,403 |
| A Phase 2, Open-Label, Multicenter Study of Arlocabtagene Autoleucel (BMS-986393), a GPRC5D-directed CAR T Cell Therapy in Adult Participants with Re… Celgene Corporation | $265,039 |
| A Study Of Nivolumab In Combination With Trametinib With Or Without Ipilimumab In Participants With Previously Treated Metastatic Colorectal Cancers E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C. | $128,068 |
| PHASE 1 TRIAL WITH GD2-SADA:177LU-DOTA DRUG COMPLEX IN PATIENTS WITH RECURRENT OR REFRACTORY METASTATIC SOLID TUMORS KNOWN TO EXPRESS GD2, INCLUDING … Y-mAbs Therapeutics, Inc. | $121,702 |
| A PHASE 1B2 OPENLABEL STUDY OF DISITAMAB VEDOTIN IN COMBINATION WITH OTHER ANTICANCER THERAPIES IN SOLID TUMORS PFIZER INC. | $109,873 |
| A PHASE 3 OPENLABEL STUDY OF ELRANATAMAB MONOTHERAPY VERSUS ELOTUZUMAB POMALIDOMIDE DEXAMETHASONE EPD OR POMALIDOMIDE BORTEZOMIB DEXAMETHASONE PVD OR… PFIZER INC. | $91,025 |
| Development of Automated Post Operative Rhythm Identification Through Computerized Evaluation of Atrial Signals Atrility Medical, Inc. | $82,582 |
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 University of Wi Hospitals & Clinics Authority
Is University of Wi Hospitals & Clinics Authority a good hospital?
University of Wi Hospitals & Clinics Authority 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 6 and worse on 1. These are hospital-wide results published by CMS; they do not rate individual doctors or departments.
Would patients recommend University of Wi Hospitals & Clinics Authority?
82% of patients who answered CMS's national survey would definitely recommend it, against a US average of 71%. The figure comes from 3,209 completed HCAHPS surveys.
How long is the wait in the University of Wi Hospitals & Clinics Authority emergency room?
Emergency patients spend a median of 3 h 34 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 University of Wi Hospitals & Clinics Authority receive money from drug and device companies?
Drug and device makers reported $2M in payments to University of Wi Hospitals & Clinics Authority 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.