Vanderbilt University Medical Center
1211 Medical Center Drive, Nashville, TN 37232 · (615) 322-3454
CMS rating
4/5
Overall hospital rating
Ownership
Non-profit
Voluntary non-profit - Private
CMS Hospital Compare measure groups
Mortality
7
measures reported
1 better than national
Safety
8
measures reported
2 better than national
2 worse than national
Readmission
11
measures reported
1 better than national
1 worse than national
Patient experience
8
HCAHPS dimensions
Timely & effective
10
measures reported
Vanderbilt University Medical Center in context
VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER is an acute-care hospital in Nashville, Tennessee, running as a non-profit hospital and operates as part of Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The facility is Medicare-certified under CMS Certification Number 440039, which is the join key across Hospital Compare, MACRA, and most state discharge scorecards.
CMS Hospital Compare assigns this facility an overall rating of 4 of 5 stars — above the national median. On measure groups versus the national rate, the facility is: 1 better of 7 mortality; 2 better + 2 worse of 8 safety; 1 better + 1 worse of 11 readmission. 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: VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER operates an emergency department (EMTALA-covered, which means it must screen and stabilize any patient regardless of ability to pay), and the CMS Birthing-Friendly designation, which requires attesting to the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (AIM) obstetric safety bundles.
Statewide context: Regional One in Memphis is West Tennessee's primary public safety-net hospital. Vanderbilt anchors statewide tertiary referrals. Tennessee has not adopted Medicaid expansion; rural hospital closures have been concentrated in the state's western counties.
For Black patients
If you are a Black patient being seen at VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER in Nashville, Tennessee, 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 Tennessee 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/tennessee/ 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 Nashville
Federally Qualified Health Centers, take Medicaid and uninsured on sliding scale.
Providers
Providers in TN
Filter our directory to TN, by specialty, language, Medicaid acceptance.
State rollup
All hospitals in Tennessee
Safety-net systems, state scorecard, rollups by CMS star rating.
Black maternal health context for Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Black women in the U.S. die from pregnancy-related causes at 3 to 4 times the rate of white women per the CDC Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System. Vanderbilt University Medical Center has attested to the CMS Maternal Care Structural Measure, a self-reported implementation of perinatal best practices including racial bias training, emergency obstetric protocols, and lactation support. If you're choosing a delivery hospital, the questions to ask are: hemorrhage protocol, eclampsia/HELLP response time, doula-friendly policy, postpartum follow-up.
Emergency department context
Vanderbilt University Medical Center has a 24/7 emergency department. Black patients face documented disparities in ED triage and pain management, Black patients with comparable cardiac symptoms wait 20-25 minutes longer for evaluation per the AHRQ National Healthcare Quality Report. If you're going to the ED, name your symptoms specifically and ask for the workup you want documented (EKG, troponin, imaging). Bring a family member or friend to advocate.
Coverage + benefits in Tennessee
Most U.S. hospitals accept Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance. Hospital financial counselors can enroll uninsured patients in Medicaid the same day under presumptive eligibility rules. Anyone enrolled in Medicaid is automatically income-eligible for WIC under federal adjunctive eligibility (7 CFR 246.7).
Frequently asked questions
What is the CMS rating of Vanderbilt University Medical Center?
Vanderbilt University Medical Center has a CMS overall hospital rating of 4 out of 5 stars. CMS Hospital Compare combines mortality, safety, readmissions, patient experience, and timely-effective-care measures into this single rating.
What kind of hospital is Vanderbilt University Medical Center?
Vanderbilt university medical center is a voluntary non-profit - private facility. a teaching hospital. part of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center system.
Does Vanderbilt University Medical Center have an emergency room or labor and delivery?
Vanderbilt University Medical Center offers a 24/7 emergency department, CMS Maternal Care Structural Measure attestation for perinatal best practices.
Where is Vanderbilt University Medical Center located?
Vanderbilt University Medical Center is at 1211 Medical Center Drive, Nashville, TN, 37232. Phone: (615) 322-3454.
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: