Gundersen Palmer Lutheran Hospital And Clinics
112 Jefferson Street, West Union, IA 52175 · (563) 422-3811
Ownership
Non-profit
Voluntary non-profit - Private
CMS Hospital Compare measure groups
Mortality
2
measures reported
Safety
Not reported
Readmission
3
measures reported
Patient experience
Not reported
Timely & effective
6
measures reported
Gundersen Palmer Lutheran Hospital And Clinics in context
GUNDERSEN PALMER LUTHERAN HOSPITAL AND CLINICS is a critical-access hospital in West Union, Iowa, running as a non-profit hospital. The facility is Medicare-certified under CMS Certification Number 161316, which is the join key across Hospital Compare, MACRA, and most state discharge scorecards.
CMS has not assigned an overall Hospital Compare star rating to this facility — usually because the hospital reports too few of the measure groups to qualify, which is common for critical-access hospitals and specialty facilities. On measure groups versus the national rate, the facility is: 2 mortality measures reported with none flagged; 3 readmission measures reported with none flagged. CMS's composite rating weights mortality, safety, readmission, patient experience, and timely & effective care across all reporting measures; it is not stratified by patient race.
Operationally: GUNDERSEN PALMER LUTHERAN HOSPITAL AND CLINICS operates an emergency department (EMTALA-covered, which means it must screen and stabilize any patient regardless of ability to pay).
Statewide context: Broadlawns in Des Moines is Iowa's largest public safety-net hospital. University of Iowa Hospitals carries most statewide tertiary referrals including complex obstetric cases.
For Black patients
If you are a Black patient being seen at GUNDERSEN PALMER LUTHERAN HOSPITAL AND CLINICS in West Union, Iowa, a few concrete steps:
- Bring an advocate. National data from CDC's Black maternal mortality review show the single biggest reduction in missed-diagnosis rates comes from a second set of ears in the room — a partner, a doula, a family member. Ask in advance that they be credentialed as a visitor; the hospital cannot turn away a designated support person.
- If you need ongoing primary care, our Iowa provider directory filters to physicians who accept Medicaid and speak Spanish / Haitian Creole / ASL where relevant. Filter to your insurance first.
- If the hospital doesn't take your coverage, the closest Federally Qualified Health Center is listed under our FQHCs in this area. FQHCs serve every patient on a sliding-fee scale regardless of insurance status.
- For help paying for care, the state Medicaid navigator at /medicaid/iowa/ explains eligibility, documents, and how to apply (same-day presumptive eligibility for pregnancy).
- If you are treated dismissively or your pain is ignored, every Medicare-certified hospital is required by CMS Conditions of Participation (42 CFR 482.13) to have a grievance procedure; file in writing and request the CMS regional office contact if the hospital ombuds does not respond within seven days.
Alternatives & nearby care
Sliding-scale clinics
FQHCs near West Union
Federally Qualified Health Centers — take Medicaid and uninsured on sliding scale.
Providers
Providers in IA
Filter our directory to IA — by specialty, language, Medicaid acceptance.
State rollup
All hospitals in Iowa
Safety-net systems, state scorecard, rollups by CMS star rating.
References & primary sources
- CMS Hospital Compare — Hospital General Information (the primary source for overall star rating, measure-group counts, ownership, ER, birthing-friendly flag): data.cms.gov/provider-data/dataset/xubh-q36u.
- CMS Care Compare facility profile — this hospital's public page: Care Compare.gov search by CCN.
- 42 CFR Part 482 — Medicare Conditions of Participation for Hospitals (source for grievance-procedure rights + EMTALA): ecfr.gov / Title 42 Part 482.
- Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (AIM) — the obstetric safety bundles underlying the CMS Birthing-Friendly designation: saferbirth.org.
Data refreshed: