Facility Information
📋 Quick Reference
- Hospital Type: Acute Care - Veterans Administration
- Ownership: Veterans Health Administration
- Address: 1660 S. Columbian Way, Seattle, WA 98108
- County: King County
- Phone: (206) 764-2299
- Emergency Services: Yes
- Birth-Friendly Designation: Not designated
Seattle Va Medical Center (Va Puget Sound Healthcare System) performs above average across most federal quality benchmarks, earning a SafeHospitals USA Safety Score of 7.3/10 (Grade B — Good). CMS 2024 data shows strong performance in multiple safety and outcome measures. While not flawless, this hospital delivers care that compares well against regional peers.
How Seattle Va Medical Center (Va Puget Sound Healthcare System) 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 538 completed surveys from Seattle Va Medical Center (Va Puget Sound Healthcare System) patients for the 2024 reporting period.
Survey Rating: ★★★★☆ Patient Experience (4.0/5)
Timely Care Score: 0.0 (national average: ~80.0)
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 12 HAI measures performing better than the national benchmark.
This represents strong infection control performance. Facilities that consistently outperform HAI benchmarks typically maintain rigorous hand hygiene protocols, antimicrobial stewardship programs, and environmental disinfection standards.
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 20.5 fewer days in the hospital after discharge (better than average).
- Pneumonia Patients: Patients spent average of 11.2 fewer days in the hospital after discharge (better than average).
- Heart Attack Patients: Patients spent average of 45.3 extra days in the hospital after discharge (worse than average).
FAQs
Q. What is the safety grade of SEATTLE VA MEDICAL CENTER (VA PUGET SOUND HEALTHCARE SYSTEM)?
Q. Is SEATTLE VA MEDICAL CENTER (VA PUGET SOUND HEALTHCARE SYSTEM) designated as Birth-Friendly?
Q. How expensive is care at SEATTLE VA MEDICAL CENTER (VA PUGET SOUND HEALTHCARE SYSTEM) compared to the national average?
Q. What do patient surveys say about outpatient surgery at SEATTLE VA MEDICAL CENTER (VA PUGET SOUND HEALTHCARE SYSTEM)?
Q. Does SEATTLE VA MEDICAL CENTER (VA PUGET SOUND HEALTHCARE SYSTEM) 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.
