Facility Information

📋 Quick Reference

  • Hospital Type: Acute Care Hospitals
  • Ownership: Government - Federal
  • Address: Caller Box C268, Cherokee, NC 28719
  • County: Swain County
  • Phone: (828) 497-9163
  • Emergency Services: Yes
  • Birth-Friendly Designation: Not designated

Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority receives a SafeHospitals USA Safety Score of 4.5/10 (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 Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority 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:

0 Better / 0 Worse
Mortality Measures
0 Better / 0 Worse
Safety Measures
0 Better / 0 Worse
Readmission Rates

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 0 completed surveys from Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority patients for the 2024 reporting period.

Survey Rating: Survey data unavailable

Timely Care Score: 24.2 (national average: ~80.0)

This facility's timely care score falls below the national benchmark. Patients should be aware that wait times may exceed averages for non-emergency 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.

Medicare Billing Cost & Spending

Medicare spends an average of $18,083 per patient episode here, compared to the national average cost of $27,477.

✓ This hospital spends 34.2% less than the national average, making it cost-efficient for Medicare services.

FAQs

Q. What is the safety grade of CHEROKEE INDIAN HOSPITAL AUTHORITY?
CHEROKEE INDIAN HOSPITAL AUTHORITY has a SafeHospitals USA safety grade of D with a safety score of 4.5/10, based on federal CMS quality data. This grade is calculated from hospital safety indicators, infection control performance, and mortality measures.
Q. Is CHEROKEE INDIAN HOSPITAL AUTHORITY designated as Birth-Friendly?
No, CHEROKEE INDIAN HOSPITAL AUTHORITY is not currently designated as Birth-Friendly by Medicare, and maternal quality data is not available for this facility.
Q. How expensive is care at CHEROKEE INDIAN HOSPITAL AUTHORITY compared to the national average?
Medicare spends an average of $18,083 per patient episode at CHEROKEE INDIAN HOSPITAL AUTHORITY, compared to the national average of $27,477. This means the hospital's billing cost is 34.2% less than the national average.
Q. What do patient surveys say about outpatient surgery at CHEROKEE INDIAN HOSPITAL AUTHORITY?
Patient experience survey ratings for outpatient surgery are not available for CHEROKEE INDIAN HOSPITAL AUTHORITY in the current reporting period.
Q. Does CHEROKEE INDIAN HOSPITAL AUTHORITY offer emergency services?
Yes, CHEROKEE INDIAN HOSPITAL AUTHORITY provides emergency services. They are equipped to handle 24/7 urgent and emergency medical needs.

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.