Acute care hospital in Boone, NC
Watauga Medical Center
336 Deerfield Road, Boone, NC 28607 · (828) 262-4100
CMS overall hospital star rating
- Patient survey★★★★★4
Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Care Compare. We refresh our information from this source. About our data
Watauga Medical Center at a glance
Watauga Medical Center is a government acute care hospital in Boone, North Carolina (Watauga County).
CMS gives it 3 out of 5 stars on its overall hospital star rating, close to the North Carolina average of 3.3.
77% of surveyed patients said they would definitely recommend the hospital (national average 71.2%).
Emergency patients sent home typically spent 192 minutes in the ER, close to the North Carolina median of 183 minutes.
Across CMS mortality, safety and readmission measures, it performed better than the national rate on 1 and worse on 1.
Facility details
- Type
- Acute care hospital
- Ownership
- Government - Local
- Emergency services
- Yes
- Birthing-friendly designation
- Yes
- County
- Watauga County
- CMS Certification Number
- 340051
How CMS scored this hospital
Number of measures in each group where the hospital was better, no different, or worse than the national rate.
| Measure group | Better | No different | Worse |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mortality (death rates) | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Safety of care | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| Readmissions | 0 | 9 | 1 |
Ratings
| Measure | This facility | North Carolina avg. | U.S. avg. | vs. U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall hospital star rating ⓘ (higher is better) | 3 / 5 | 3.3 / 5 | 3.2 / 5 | Average |
Patient survey
| Measure | This facility | North Carolina avg. | U.S. avg. | vs. U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patient survey summary rating ⓘ (higher is better) | 4 / 5 | 3.4 / 5 | 3.3 / 5 | Better |
| Patients who rated the hospital 9 or 10 out of 10 (higher is better) | 77% | 71.4% | 71.7% | Better |
| Patients who would definitely recommend the hospital (higher is better) | 77% | 70% | 71.2% | Better |
| Nurse communication (higher is better) | 4 / 5 | 3.6 / 5 | 3.4 / 5 | Better |
| Doctor communication (higher is better) | 4 / 5 | 3.5 / 5 | 3.1 / 5 | Better |
| Communication about medicines (higher is better) | 4 / 5 | 2.8 / 5 | 2.7 / 5 | Better |
| Discharge information (higher is better) | 4 / 5 | 3.4 / 5 | 3.3 / 5 | Better |
| Cleanliness (higher is better) | 3 / 5 | 3.3 / 5 | 3.4 / 5 | Average |
| Quietness at night (higher is better) | 4 / 5 | 3.4 / 5 | 3.3 / 5 | Better |
| Completed patient surveys | 597 | 685 | 611 |
Emergency room
| Measure | This facility | North Carolina avg. | U.S. avg. | vs. U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median time in the ER before leaving ⓘ (lower is better) | 192 min | 183 min | 157 min | Worse |
| Patients who left the ER before being seen (lower is better) | 1% | 2.3% | 1.7% | Better |
| Emergency department volume | medium |
Timely care
| Measure | This facility | North Carolina avg. | U.S. avg. | vs. U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appropriate care for severe sepsis and septic shock (higher is better) | 44% | 63.5% | 63.8% | Worse |
| Healthcare workers given a flu vaccine (higher is better) | 92% | 85.9% | 74.5% | Better |
Death rates (30-day)
| Measure | This facility | North Carolina avg. | U.S. avg. | vs. U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Death rate for heart attack patients (lower is better) | 11.9% | 11.9% | 11.8% | Average |
| Death rate for heart failure patients (lower is better) | 9.3% | 11.3% | 11.1% | Better |
| Death rate for pneumonia patients (lower is better) | 17.8% | 15.4% | 15.3% | Worse |
| Death rate for stroke patients (lower is better) | 10.6% | 12.3% | 12.1% | Better |
| Death rate for COPD patients (lower is better) | 9.8% | 8.8% | 8.6% | Worse |
Readmissions (30-day)
| Measure | This facility | North Carolina avg. | U.S. avg. | vs. U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Readmission rate after heart attack (lower is better) | 13.4% | 14.2% | 14.4% | Better |
| Readmission rate after heart failure (lower is better) | 20.9% | 21.4% | 21.4% | Average |
| Readmission rate after pneumonia (lower is better) | 18% | 17.1% | 17.3% | Average |
| Readmission rate after COPD (lower is better) | 20.6% | 19.8% | 19.9% | Average |
| Readmission rate after hip/knee replacement (lower is better) | 5.1% | 5.7% | 5.8% | Better |
Safety & infections
| Measure | This facility | North Carolina avg. | U.S. avg. | vs. U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Complication rate for hip/knee replacement (lower is better) | 3.6% | 4% | 4.2% | Better |
| Serious complications (patient safety composite) (lower is better) | 0.96 | 0.99 | 1.00 | Average |
| Central line bloodstream infections (CLABSI) ⓘ (lower is better) | 0.00 | 0.66 | 0.58 | Average |
| Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) (lower is better) | 0.00 | 0.55 | 0.48 | Average |
| MRSA bloodstream infections (lower is better) | 0.00 | 0.74 | 0.68 | Average |
| C. difficile intestinal infections (lower is better) | 0.29 | 0.31 | 0.36 | Better |
Other hospitals near Watauga Medical Center
Appalachian Regional Behavioral Healthcare
432 Hospital Dr, Linville, NC 28646 · 14.9 mi
Psychiatric · Non-profit
Not ratedCharles A Cannon Jr Memorial Hospital
434 Hospital Drive, Linville, NC 28646 · 14.9 mi
Critical Access Hospitals · Non-profit
Not ratedCaldwell Memorial Hospital
321 Mulberry St SW, Lenoir, NC 28645 · 17.3 mi
Acute Care Hospitals · Non-profit
★★★★★3AverageAshe Memorial Hospital
200 Hospital Ave, Jefferson, NC 28640 · 19 mi
Critical Access Hospitals · Non-profit
★★★★★3AverageJohnson County Community Hospital
1901 S Shady St, Mountain City, TN 37683 · 19.1 mi
Critical Access Hospitals · Non-profit
Not ratedWilkes Regional Medical Center
1370 West D St, North Wilkesboro, NC 28659 · 27.7 mi
Acute Care Hospitals · Government
★★★★★3Average
Frequently asked questions
What is Watauga Medical Center's rating?
Watauga Medical Center has 3 out of 5 stars on the CMS overall hospital star rating. The average for North Carolina hospitals is 3.3 stars.
How long is the ER wait at Watauga Medical Center?
Patients treated and sent home from the emergency department spent a median of 192 minutes there, from arrival to departure. The North Carolina median is 183 minutes.
Does Watauga Medical Center have an emergency room?
Yes. CMS lists it as providing emergency services.
Where is Watauga Medical Center and how do I contact it?
Watauga Medical Center is at 336 Deerfield Road, Boone, NC 28607. Phone: (828) 262-4100.
About this data
Ratings and measures come from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Care Compare. They're based on state inspections, patient surveys and facility reports, and they describe the past. Facilities change, so visit in person and confirm details directly. About our data · Spotted an error? Let us know.