Facility Information
📋 Quick Reference
- Hospital Type: Critical Access Hospitals
- Ownership: Voluntary non-profit - Other
- Address: 421 11Th Street Nw, Wadena, MN 56482
- County: Wadena County
- Phone: (218) 631-7489
- Emergency Services: Yes
- Birth-Friendly Designation: Yes — meets CMS criteria
Astera Health receives a SafeHospitals USA Safety Score of 5.0/10 (Grade D — Below Average). The 2024 CMS data indicates this facility falls below the national average in several areas. While this hospital may still be appropriate for certain care types, patients with planned procedures should consider the data carefully and ask their physician about alternatives.
How Astera Health Compares Nationally
Using the 2024 CMS Hospital Compare dataset — the federal government's official source for hospital quality — we analyzed performance across five quality measures. Here is what the data shows for this facility:
Patient Experience & Survey Data
Patient experience surveys (HCAHPS) ask discharged patients about their hospital stay — communication with nurses and doctors, responsiveness of staff, cleanliness, and overall rating. CMS collected 125 completed surveys from Astera Health patients for the 2024 reporting period.
Survey Rating: ★★★★☆ Patient Experience (4.0/5)
Timely Care Score: 126.2 (national average: ~80.0)
This facility's timely care score exceeds the national benchmark, indicating patients are seen and treated promptly — a meaningful indicator for emergency and urgent care situations.
Infection Control Performance
Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are among the most preventable patient safety risks. CMS tracks six HAI measures including central line infections, catheter-related urinary tract infections, surgical site infections, and C. difficile rates. This facility has 0 HAI measures performing better than the national benchmark.
This facility does not currently outperform HAI benchmarks in the 2024 CMS dataset. This is a important concern for patients scheduled for surgery, catheter procedures, or extended ICU stays. Ask your care team about infection prevention protocols.
Maternity & Birthing Care
✓ Designated as "Birth-Friendly" by Medicare (CMS).
This hospital is designated as Birth-Friendly by CMS, meaning it is committed to high standards of maternal safety and care.
Recovery & Hospital Return Days
This section shows whether discharged patients spent extra days back in the hospital within 30 days of leaving, compared to the national average. Fewer days indicate a safer discharge process and a better recovery at home:
- Heart Failure Patients: Patients spent average of 8.8 fewer days in the hospital after discharge (better than average).
- Pneumonia Patients: Patients spent average of 21.7 fewer days in the hospital after discharge (better than average).
FAQs
Q. What is the safety grade of ASTERA HEALTH?
Q. Is ASTERA HEALTH designated as Birth-Friendly?
Q. How expensive is care at ASTERA HEALTH compared to the national average?
Q. What do patient surveys say about outpatient surgery at ASTERA HEALTH?
Q. Does ASTERA HEALTH offer emergency services?
About Our Scoring Methodology
Our SafeHospitals USA Safety Score is calculated from the official CMS Hospital Compare dataset using a weighted composite of: hospital-acquired infection rates (HAI, 30% weight), patient safety indicator measures (25%), mortality measure outcomes (20%), 30-day readmission rates (15%), and patient experience survey scores (10%). Scores range from 0–10 and are normalized against the national distribution of all Medicare-certified facilities.
Scores are recalculated annually when CMS releases updated Hospital Compare data. The current scores reflect the 2024 CMS data release, last verified by our data team on March 15, 2026.
