Hospital Profile

James E. Van Zandt Va Medical Center (Altoona)

Q: What does a 4-star rating mean for James E. Van Zandt Va Medical Center (Altoona)?

CMS rates hospitals 1-5 stars based on mortality, safety, readmission, patient experience, and timely care.

Q: Does James E. Van Zandt Va Medical Center (Altoona) have an emergency room?

No, this facility does not have emergency services.

Q: Does James E. Van Zandt Va Medical Center (Altoona) accept Medicare?

Yes. All hospitals on Medicare Hospital Compare are Medicare-certified. Check your specific plan for in-network status.

2907 Pleasant Valley Boulevard
Altoona, PA 16602

★★★★☆

4/5 CMS Overall Rating

Licensed Beds

Acute Care

Hospital Type

Affiliated Doctors

None Reported

Critical Care

N/A

Nurse-to-Bed Ratio

Quick Actions

📞 Call Hospital 🗺️ Get Directions 🏛️ View on Medicare.gov 👨‍⚕️ Find Doctors

(814) 943-8164

Data Source: Hospital data from CMS Hospital Compare (February 2026) and Provider of Services file (Q4 2025). Doctor affiliations from CMS Physician Compare. Quality measures are updated quarterly.
Reviewed by: Wes Ward, Founder & Data Lead • View our methodology

Hospital Details

James E. Van Zandt Va Medical Center (Altoona) is a 4.00-star acute care hospital located in Altoona, Pennsylvania with 68 licensed beds.

A 4-star CMS rating places James E. Van Zandt Va Medical Center (Altoona) above the national average for overall quality. .

Hospital Type	Acute Care - Veterans Administration
Ownership	Veterans Health Administration
Teaching Status	Not Reported

Quality Ratings & Measures

CMS evaluates hospitals across five quality domains. Here's how James E. Van Zandt Va Medical Center (Altoona) compares:

⭐

Overall Rating

of 5 stars

💔

Same as National

Mortality

0 of 3 better

🛡️

Same as National

Safety

0 of 0 better

🔄

Worse than National

Readmission

0 of 4 better

😊

All 8 domains reported

Patient Experience

8 measures

💰

N/A

Medicare Spending Index (MSPB)

N/A

Quality data from CMS Hospital Compare. "Better than national" means statistically significantly better than the national average. Spending uses the CMS MSPB measure (Medicare Spending Per Beneficiary) index, where 1.000 is national average and values above/below 1.000 indicate higher/lower spending.

Patient Experience (HCAHPS Survey)

The HCAHPS survey is a standardized, national survey of hospital patients. It measures how patients perceive their care — including communication with doctors and nurses, responsiveness of staff, cleanliness, and discharge information. Higher percentages indicate better performance.

Measure	Score	Star Rating
Patients who reported that their room and bathroom were "Always" clean	92%	N/A
Patients who reported that their room and bathroom were "Sometimes" or "Never" clean	4%	N/A
Patients who reported that their room and bathroom were "Usually" clean	4%	N/A
Cleanliness - linear mean score	Not Applicable%	N/A
Cleanliness - star rating	Not Applicable%	★★★★★ (5)
Patients who reported that their nurses "Always" communicated well	91%	N/A
Nurse communication - linear mean score	Not Applicable%	N/A
Patients who reported that their nurses "Sometimes" or "Never" communicated well	2%	N/A
Nurse communication - star rating	Not Applicable%	★★★★★ (5)
Patients who reported that their nurses "Usually" communicated well	7%	N/A
Patients who reported that their doctors "Always" communicated well	83%	N/A
Doctor communication - linear mean score	Not Applicable%	N/A
Patients who reported that their doctors "Sometimes" or "Never" communicated well	4%	N/A
Doctor communication - star rating	Not Applicable%	★★★★☆ (4)
Patients who reported that their doctors "Usually" communicated well	13%	N/A
Patients who reported that staff "Always" explained about medicines before giving it to them	79%	N/A
Communication about medicines - linear mean score	Not Applicable%	N/A
Patients who reported that staff "Sometimes" or "Never" explained about medicines before giving it to them	4%	N/A
Communication about medicines - star rating	Not Applicable%	★★★★★ (5)
Patients who reported that staff "Usually" explained about medicines before giving it to them	17%	N/A
Discharge information - linear mean score	Not Applicable%	N/A
Patients who reported that NO, they were not given information about what to do during their recovery at home	11%	N/A
Discharge information - star rating	Not Applicable%	★★★★☆ (4)
Patients who reported that YES, they were given information about what to do during their recovery at home	89%	N/A
Patients who reported that NO, they did not discuss whether they would need help after discharge	12%	N/A
Patients who reported that YES, they did discuss whether they would need help after discharge	88%	N/A
Patients who reported that their doctors "Always" explained things in a way they could understand	76%	N/A
Patients who reported that their doctors "Sometimes" or "Never" explained things in a way they could understand	3%	N/A
Patients who reported that their doctors "Usually" explained things in a way they could understand	21%	N/A
Patients who reported that their doctors "Always" listened carefully to them	83%	N/A
Patients who reported that their doctors "Sometimes" or "Never" listened carefully to them	4%	N/A
Patients who reported that their doctors "Usually" listened carefully to them	13%	N/A
Patients who reported that their doctors "Always" treated them with courtesy and respect	87%	N/A
Patients who reported that their doctors "Sometimes" or "Never" treated them with courtesy and respect	2%	N/A
Patients who reported that their doctors "Usually" treated them with courtesy and respect	11%	N/A
Patients who gave their hospital a rating of 6 or lower on a scale from 0 (lowest) to 10 (highest)	3%	N/A
Patients who gave their hospital a rating of 7 or 8 on a scale from 0 (lowest) to 10 (highest)	5%	N/A
Patients who gave their hospital a rating of 9 or 10 on a scale from 0 (lowest) to 10 (highest)	92%	N/A
Overall hospital rating - linear mean score	Not Applicable%	N/A
Overall hospital rating - star rating	Not Applicable%	★★★★★ (5)
Patients who reported that when receiving new medication the staff "Always" communicated what the medication was for	88%	N/A
Patients who reported that when receiving new medication the staff "Sometimes" or "Never" communicated what the medication was for	2%	N/A
Patients who reported that when receiving new medication the staff "Usually" communicated what the medication was for.	10%	N/A
Patients who reported that their nurses "Always" explained things in a way they could understand	83%	N/A
Patients who reported that their nurses "Sometimes" or "Never" explained things in a way they could understand	2%	N/A
Patients who reported that their nurses "Usually" explained things in a way they could understand	15%	N/A
Patients who reported that their nurses "Always" listened carefully to them	89%	N/A
Patients who reported that their nurses "Sometimes" or "Never" listened carefully to them	1%	N/A
Patients who reported that their nurses "Usually" listened carefully to them	10%	N/A
Patients who reported that their nurses "Always" treated them with courtesy and respect	96%	N/A
Patients who reported that their nurses "Sometimes" or "Never" treated them with courtesy and respect	1%	N/A
Patients who reported that their nurses "Usually" treated them with courtesy and respect	3%	N/A
Patients who reported that the area around their room was "Always" quiet at night	67%	N/A
Patients who reported that the area around their room was "Sometimes" or "Never" quiet at night	7%	N/A
Patients who reported that the area around their room was "Usually" quiet at night	26%	N/A
Quietness - linear mean score	Not Applicable%	N/A
Quietness - star rating	Not Applicable%	★★★★☆ (4)
Patients who reported NO, they would probably not or definitely not recommend the hospital	2%	N/A
Patients who reported YES, they would definitely recommend the hospital	84%	N/A
Recommend hospital - linear mean score	Not Applicable%	N/A
Patients who reported YES, they would probably recommend the hospital	14%	N/A
Recommend hospital - star rating	Not Applicable%	★★★★★ (5)
Patients who reported that when receiving new medication the staff "Always" discussed possible side effects	62%	N/A
Patients who reported that when receiving new medication the staff "Sometimes" or "Never" discussed possible side effects	12%	N/A
Patients who reported that when receiving new medication the staff "Usually" discussed possible side effects	26%	N/A
Summary star rating	Not Applicable%	★★★★★ (5)
Patients who reported that NO, they did not receive written information about possible symptoms to look out for after discharge	10%	N/A
Patients who reported that YES, they did receive written information about possible symptoms to look out for after discharge	90%	N/A

Survey response rate: 46% (190 surveys completed). Data from 04/01/2024 to 03/31/2025 .

Services & Specialties

James E. Van Zandt Va Medical Center (Altoona) offers the following services based on CMS Provider of Services data:

Emergency & Critical Care

James E. Van Zandt Va Medical Center (Altoona) offers 0 of 8 possible critical care capabilities, classified as None Reported. No critical care capabilities are reported for this facility. If emergency access is important to your coverage, explore the nearby hospitals for alternatives.

No emergency/critical care services reported

Surgical Services

No surgical services reported

Specialty Services

No specialty services reported

Service availability is self-reported by the facility. Confirm specific services directly with the hospital. Use our printable question list to prepare for the conversation.

Bed Count, Capacity & Staffing

James E. Van Zandt Va Medical Center (Altoona) has 68 licensed beds (68 Medicare-certified) with a nurse-to-bed ratio of N/A. Higher ratios generally indicate more nursing staff per patient, which research links to better outcomes in medication errors, patient falls, and response times.

Bed Type	Count
Total Licensed Beds	68
CMS Certified Beds	68

Staffing snapshot: 0 affiliated physicians

Doctors Affiliated with James E. Van Zandt Va Medical Center (Altoona)

Doctor affiliation data is not currently available for this facility. Affiliations are sourced from CMS Physician Compare.

Total Doctors

Procedural Specialists

Surgeons

Featured Affiliated Physicians

Doctor affiliation data not available.

Showing 0 of 0 affiliated physicians. Doctor affiliations from CMS Physician Compare data.

Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI)

Healthcare-associated infections are one of the most important safety metrics when evaluating a hospital. These infections are acquired during a hospital stay, not the reason for admission. CMS tracks rates for specific infection types and compares each hospital to the national benchmark.

Infection Type	Score (SIR)	vs. National
Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards): Lower Confidence Limit	Not Available	Not Available
Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards): Upper Confidence Limit	Not Available	Not Available
Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection: Number of Device Days	124	Not Available
Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards): Predicted Cases	0.093	Not Available
Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards): Observed Cases	0	Not Available
Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards)	Not Available	Not Available
Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards): Lower Confidence Limit	Not Available	Not Available
Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards): Upper Confidence Limit	Not Available	Not Available
Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards): Number of Urinary Catheter Days	233	Not Available
Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards): Predicted Cases	0.140	Not Available
Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards): Observed Cases	0	Not Available
Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards)	Not Available	Not Available
SSI - Colon Surgery: Lower Confidence Limit	Not Available	Not Available
SSI - Colon Surgery: Upper Confidence Limit	Not Available	Not Available
SSI - Colon Surgery: Number of Procedures	Not Available	Not Available
SSI - Colon Surgery: Predicted Cases	Not Available	Not Available
SSI - Colon Surgery: Observed Cases	Not Available	Not Available
SSI - Colon Surgery	Not Available	Not Available
SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy: Lower Confidence Limit	Not Available	Not Available
SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy: Upper Confidence Limit	Not Available	Not Available
SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy: Number of Procedures	Not Available	Not Available
SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy: Predicted Cases	Not Available	Not Available
SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy: Observed Cases	Not Available	Not Available
SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy	Not Available	Not Available
MRSA Bacteremia: Lower Confidence Limit	Not Available	Not Available
MRSA Bacteremia: Upper Confidence Limit	Not Available	Not Available
MRSA Bacteremia: Patient Days	Not Available	Not Available
MRSA Bacteremia: Predicted Cases	Not Available	Not Available
MRSA Bacteremia: Observed Cases	Not Available	Not Available
MRSA Bacteremia	Not Available	Not Available
Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): Lower Confidence Limit	Not Available	Not Available
Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): Upper Confidence Limit	Not Available	Not Available
Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): Patient Days	Not Available	Not Available
Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): Predicted Cases	Not Available	Not Available
Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): Observed Cases	Not Available	Not Available
Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff)	Not Available	Not Available

How to read this: "Better than national" means the hospital's infection rate is statistically significantly lower than the national average — a sign of strong infection-control protocols (hand hygiene, sterilization, catheter management). "Worse than national" may warrant asking the hospital about their improvement initiatives.

Infection data reported to the CDC's National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN).

Complications & Deaths

CMS tracks post-surgical complications and mortality rates for common procedures and conditions (heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, hip/knee replacement, and more). These measures reflect how patients actually fare at this hospital compared to the national average.

Measure	Score	Patients	vs. National
Rate of complications for hip/knee replacement patients	N/A	N/A	Not Available
Hybrid Hospital-Wide All-Cause Risk Standardized Mortality Rate	N/A	N/A	Not Available
Death rate for heart attack patients	N/A	N/A	Number of Cases Too Small
Death rate for CABG surgery patients	N/A	N/A	Not Available
Death rate for COPD patients	8.5	55	No Different Than the National Rate
Death rate for heart failure patients	13.6	93	No Different Than the National Rate
Death rate for pneumonia patients	15.4	99	No Different Than the National Rate
Death rate for stroke patients	N/A	N/A	Not Available
Pressure ulcer rate	0.55	405	No Different Than the National Rate
Death rate among surgical inpatients with serious treatable complications	N/A	N/A	Not Available
Iatrogenic pneumothorax rate	0.21	772	No Different Than the National Rate
In-hospital fall-associated fracture rate	0.27	787	No Different Than the National Rate
Postoperative hemorrhage or hematoma rate	N/A	N/A	Number of Cases Too Small
Postoperative acute kidney injury requiring dialysis rate	N/A	N/A	Not Available
Postoperative respiratory failure rate	N/A	N/A	Not Available
Perioperative pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis rate	N/A	N/A	Number of Cases Too Small
Postoperative sepsis rate	N/A	N/A	Not Available
Postoperative wound dehiscence rate	N/A	N/A	Not Available
Abdominopelvic accidental puncture or laceration rate	N/A	N/A	Number of Cases Too Small
CMS Medicare PSI 90: Patient safety and adverse events composite	N/A	N/A	Not Available

What to consider: A "worse than national" rating on mortality or complications is a serious signal — particularly for elective procedures where you have time to choose a facility. For emergency care, proximity and speed often outweigh these metrics. Ask the hospital about their outcomes for your specific procedure.

Readmissions & Unplanned Hospital Visits

A readmission means a patient returned to the hospital within 30 days of discharge. High readmission rates can signal gaps in discharge planning, patient education, or follow-up care coordination. CMS penalizes hospitals with excess readmissions through the HRRP.

Measure	Score	Patients	vs. National
Hospital return days for heart attack patients	N/A	0	Number of Cases Too Small
Hospital return days for heart failure patients	-9.9	110	Average Days per 100 Discharges
Hospital return days for pneumonia patients	-73.5	114	Fewer Days Than Average per 100 Discharges
Hybrid Hospital-Wide All-Cause Readmission Measure (HWR)	13.9	316	No Different Than the National Rate
Rate of unplanned hospital visits after colonoscopy (per 1,000 colonoscopies)	N/A	0	Not Available
Rate of inpatient admissions for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy	N/A	0	Not Available
Rate of emergency department (ED) visits for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy	N/A	0	Not Available
Ratio of unplanned hospital visits after hospital outpatient surgery	N/A	0	Not Available
Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) 30-Day Readmission Rate	N/A	0	Number of Cases Too Small
Rate of readmission for CABG	N/A	0	Not Available
Rate of readmission for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients	18	60	No Different Than the National Rate
Heart failure (HF) 30-Day Readmission Rate	20	110	No Different Than the National Rate
Rate of readmission after hip/knee replacement	N/A	0	Not Available
Pneumonia (PN) 30-Day Readmission Rate	14	114	No Different Than the National Rate

What to ask: If this hospital has higher-than-average readmission rates, ask about their discharge process — do they provide follow-up appointments, medication reconciliation, and clear care instructions before you leave?

Nearby Hospitals

If James E. Van Zandt Va Medical Center (Altoona) isn't in your Medicare plan's network — or you want to compare quality ratings before a procedure — these are the closest alternatives within 15 miles:

Upmc Altoona

2.4 miles

★★☆☆☆ 2/5

Altoona, PA · 398 beds

Conemaugh Nason Medical Center

10.3 miles

★★★☆☆ 3/5

Roaring Spring, PA · 45 beds

Penn Highlands Tyrone

14.9 miles

Not Rated N/A

Tyrone, PA · 25 beds

View all hospitals near 16603, PA →

Switching hospitals may mean switching plans. Check the Medicare enrollment timeline to make sure you don't miss your window, and use our enrollment checklist to stay organized.

Location & Directions

Address: 2907 Pleasant Valley Boulevard, Altoona, PA 16602
Phone: (814) 943-8164

Get directions on Google Maps →

What to Do with This Information

Hospital quality data is most useful when paired with your specific situation. Here's how to act on it:

Check network status: Before choosing this hospital, verify it's in-network for your Medicare Advantage plan. Out-of-network care can cost significantly more.
Ask about specific outcomes: If you're considering an elective procedure, ask the hospital for their outcomes data on that specific surgery — not just overall ratings.
Compare nearby options: Use the nearby hospitals section above to compare quality scores across facilities in the area.
Review your Medicare plan: Your plan's network determines which hospitals you can access affordably. Use our enrollment checklist to stay organized if you're switching plans. Check enrollment deadlines →
Talk to your doctor: Ask your primary care physician which hospitals they're affiliated with and whether they're in-network for your plan. Print our doctor questions checklist →

View on Medicare.gov Compare Medicare Plans in 16603, PA →

James E. Van Zandt Va Medical Center (Altoona): Common Questions

What does a 4-star rating mean for James E. Van Zandt Va Medical Center (Altoona)?

CMS rates hospitals on a 1-to-5 star scale based on quality measures across mortality, safety, readmission, patient experience, and timely care. A 4-star rating places this hospital above the national average. The rating is updated quarterly by CMS.

Does James E. Van Zandt Va Medical Center (Altoona) have an emergency room?

No, James E. Van Zandt Va Medical Center (Altoona) does not have emergency services. For emergencies, call 911 or visit the nearest hospital with an ER.

Does James E. Van Zandt Va Medical Center (Altoona) accept Medicare?

Yes. All hospitals listed on Medicare Hospital Compare are Medicare-certified facilities. However, whether this hospital is in-network for your specific Medicare Advantage plan depends on your plan's provider network. Check your plan documents or call your insurer to verify.

How many beds does James E. Van Zandt Va Medical Center (Altoona) have?

James E. Van Zandt Va Medical Center (Altoona) has 68 licensed beds. Bed count is an indicator of hospital capacity — larger hospitals often offer more specialized services.

Where does the data on this page come from?

All data is sourced from official CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) databases: Hospital Compare for quality measures and star ratings, Provider of Services for beds and services, and Physician Compare for doctor affiliations. Data is updated quarterly. Read our full methodology →

About the Reviewer

Wes Ward

Founder & Data Lead

Wes Ward is the founder of InsuranceDataNow.org and reviews all hospital quality data and methodology for accuracy. Every hospital profile — including the CMS quality measures, infection rates, and doctor affiliations on this page — goes through his data-validation pipeline before publication.

With 25+ years in data analytics — including work with highly regulated genomic data at Ancestry.com — Wes brings enterprise-level rigor to healthcare transparency. He is also a co-founder of BestNeighborhood.org, CrimeGrade.org, and ISPReports.org.

View full profile → • LinkedIn

Data sources: CMS Hospital Compare (February 2026), Provider of Services (Q4 2025), CMS Physician Compare, CDC NHSN. This page is for informational purposes only. Always verify information directly with the hospital. Read our full methodology →

Medicare Resources

Hospital quality data is just one piece of the Medicare puzzle. Explore our guides to make the best decisions for your coverage:

James E. Van Zandt Va Medical Center (Altoona)

Quick Actions

Hospital Details

Quality Ratings & Measures

Patient Experience (HCAHPS Survey)

Services & Specialties

Emergency & Critical Care

Surgical Services

Specialty Services

Bed Count, Capacity & Staffing

Doctors Affiliated with James E. Van Zandt Va Medical Center (Altoona)

Featured Affiliated Physicians

Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI)

Complications & Deaths

Readmissions & Unplanned Hospital Visits

Nearby Hospitals

Upmc Altoona

Conemaugh Nason Medical Center

Penn Highlands Tyrone

Location & Directions

What to Do with This Information

James E. Van Zandt Va Medical Center (Altoona): Common Questions

About the Reviewer

Wes Ward

Medicare Resources

How to Choose a Medicare Plan

Medicare Enrollment Checklist

Enrollment Dates & Deadlines

Questions for Your Doctor

Medicare Glossary

Our Methodology

James E. Van Zandt Va Medical Center (Altoona)

Quick Actions

Hospital Details

Quality Ratings & Measures

Patient Experience (HCAHPS Survey)

Services & Specialties

Emergency & Critical Care

Surgical Services

Specialty Services

Bed Count, Capacity & Staffing

Doctors Affiliated with James E. Van Zandt Va Medical Center (Altoona)

Featured Affiliated Physicians

Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI)

Complications & Deaths

Readmissions & Unplanned Hospital Visits

Nearby Hospitals

Upmc Altoona

Conemaugh Nason Medical Center

Penn Highlands Tyrone

Location & Directions

What to Do with This Information

James E. Van Zandt Va Medical Center (Altoona): Common Questions

About the Reviewer

Wes Ward

Medicare Resources

How to Choose a Medicare Plan

Medicare Enrollment Checklist

Enrollment Dates & Deadlines

Questions for Your Doctor

Medicare Glossary

Our Methodology

Related Pages