Quality Report

Wisconsin hospitals continue to distinguish themselves as national leaders in health care quality, patient experience and performance improvement, as highlighted in the 2026 Quarter 2 Wisconsin Hospitals Quality Snapshot. Wisconsin ranks 4th in the nation overall—and 1st among states with more than 50 hospitals—for CMS Overall Hospital Star Ratings, with 64% of Wisconsin hospitals earning a 4- or 5-star rating compared to 42% nationally. The snapshot also highlights recognition for patient experience, strong performance among critical access hospitals and sustained top-10 national performance in sepsis care. Beyond these results, Wisconsin hospitals remain deeply committed to continuous quality improvement through statewide education, collaboration and workforce well-being initiatives, reinforcing their dedication to delivering safe, high-quality care and improving health outcomes for patients, families and communities across Wisconsin.

Footnotes

1 - Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Five-Star Quality Rating System

2 - Healthgrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award

3 - Chartis 2026 Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals

4 - Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR) Program - SEP-01: Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock Early Management Bundle

To drive meaningful improvement, hospitals across Wisconsin regularly analyze performance data from WHA’s CheckPoint website alongside their own internal data and publicly reported measures. This proactive, data-driven approach helps identify opportunities to enhance care, inform strategic decision making and support frontline teams in improving outcomes. By turning data into action, hospitals strengthen patient care while fostering a culture of learning and continuous improvement.

Building on this foundation, Wisconsin hospitals are advancing a wide range of initiatives to strengthen care delivery and improve patient outcomes across all care settings. These efforts reflect local innovation and a shared focus on patient safety, care coordination, clinical improvement and workforce well being. The information below highlights resources, tools and opportunities to engage with the Wisconsin Hospital Association that support these initiatives by fostering collaboration, shared learning and continued progress in quality and patient safety.

Hospital Quality Improvement Projects

The following highlights a range of stories submitted by hospitals across Wisconsin, each offering a unique example of how teams are advancing quality and patient safety. These contributions may include participants in WHA’s Excellence in Quality and Patient Safety awards, presentations at the Wisconsin Health Care Quality Showcase in the Capitol rotunda during Advocacy Day or simply from those with a desire to share meaningful work with peers across the state. Together, these stories reflect the shared commitment to learning, collaboration and continuous improvement across our state. View the video below from the 2026 Health Care Quality Showcase or click on a hospital to view their hospital quality improvement project.