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Data sourced from HCAHPS Patient Survey (CMS) & CMS Hospital Price Transparency (TiC) — Updated April 2026
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Hospital Profile

ASCENSION COLUMBIA ST MARYS HOSPITAL MILWAUKEE

2323 N LAKE DR, Milwaukee, WI 53211

MILWAUKEE County

3

Overall Rating

60%

Would Recommend

315

Patient Surveys

Statistically reliable

Top 80%

Nationally

Key Insights

Top Strength

Doctor Communication

Area for Improvement

Communication About Medicines

Quality Breakdown

Quality Dimensions

Nurse Communication (2)Doctor Communication (3)Staff Responsiveness (2)Medicine Communication (1)Discharge Information (3)Care Transition (3)Cleanliness (3)Quietness (3)

Patient Satisfaction

Nurses Communicated
75%
Doctors Communicated
80%
Always Received Help
52%
Hospital Always Clean
68%
Hospital Always Quiet
56%
Would Recommend
60%
Rate 9 or 10
63%

Patient Experience in Detail

Each metric below comes from the CMS HCAHPS Patient Survey — the national standard for measuring patient perspectives on hospital care. Percentages represent the proportion of patients who gave the most positive response ("always" or "definitely").

Nurse Communication
75%-3.6% vs avg

Survey Question: "How often did nurses communicate well with you?"

Measures how often nurses listened carefully to patients, explained things in a way they could understand, and treated them with courtesy and respect during their hospital stay.

0%100%
This hospital: 75%
National avg: 78.6%
Doctor Communication
80%+1.4% vs avg

Survey Question: "How often did doctors communicate well with you?"

Measures how often doctors listened carefully, explained things clearly, and treated patients with courtesy and respect. This includes whether doctors discussed treatment plans and involved patients in decisions about their care.

0%100%
This hospital: 80%
National avg: 78.6%
Staff Responsiveness
52%-11.0% vs avg

Survey Question: "How often did you receive help as soon as you wanted?"

Measures how quickly hospital staff responded when patients pressed the call button, and how often patients received help getting to the bathroom or using a bedpan when needed.

0%100%
This hospital: 52%
National avg: 63%
Hospital Cleanliness
68%-4.0% vs avg

Survey Question: "How often were your room and bathroom kept clean?"

Measures patients' perception of the cleanliness of their hospital room and bathroom during their stay. This is a key indicator of infection control practices and facility maintenance.

0%100%
This hospital: 68%
National avg: 72%
Hospital Quietness
56%-2.7% vs avg

Survey Question: "How often was the area around your room quiet at night?"

Measures how often the area around the patient's room was quiet at night, which is critical for rest and recovery. Noise disruptions can affect healing, sleep quality, and overall patient well-being.

0%100%
This hospital: 56%
National avg: 58.7%
Would Recommend
60%-9.1% vs avg

Survey Question: "Would you recommend this hospital to friends and family?"

The percentage of patients who said they would "definitely recommend" this hospital. This is considered the single most important overall indicator of patient satisfaction and is strongly correlated with clinical quality outcomes.

0%100%
This hospital: 60%
National avg: 69.1%
Overall Hospital Rating
63%-7.6% vs avg

Survey Question: "On a scale of 0-10, how would you rate this hospital?"

The percentage of patients who gave the hospital a rating of 9 or 10 out of 10. This top-box score captures the proportion of patients who had an excellent overall experience during their hospital stay.

0%100%
This hospital: 63%
National avg: 70.6%

Star Ratings

3

Overall

3

Hospital Rating

3

Recommend

2

Nurse Communication

3

Doctor Communication

2

Staff Responsiveness

1

Medicine Communication

3

Discharge Info

3

Care Transition

3

Cleanliness

3

Quietness

How Hospital Ratings Work

What is HCAHPS?
The Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) is the first national, standardized, publicly reported survey of patients' perspectives on hospital care. Developed by CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), HCAHPS has been in use since 2006 and is administered to a random sample of adult inpatients between 48 hours and 6 weeks after discharge.
How are star ratings calculated?
CMS converts raw survey responses into 1-5 star ratings using a statistical clustering algorithm that adjusts for patient mix (age, health status, education level, language). The overall star rating is a weighted summary of 8 individual quality dimensions. Stars are recalculated quarterly based on the most recent 12-month survey period. Hospitals must have at least 100 completed surveys to receive a star rating.
About this hospital's survey data
ASCENSION COLUMBIA ST MARYS HOSPITAL MILWAUKEE received 315 completed patient surveys with a 19% response rate. This sample size is statistically reliable for drawing conclusions about patient experience.
The 8 quality dimensions explained

Nurse Communication

How well nurses communicated with patients — listening, explaining, and responding.

Doctor Communication

How well doctors communicated — explaining conditions, treatments, and involving patients in decisions.

Staff Responsiveness

How quickly staff responded to call buttons and requests for help.

Communication About Medicines

How well staff explained medications — purpose, side effects, and what to watch for.

Discharge Information

Whether patients received clear instructions about care after leaving the hospital.

Care Transition

How well the hospital prepared patients for life after discharge — understanding medications, responsibilities, and follow-up needs.

Cleanliness

How often patients' rooms and bathrooms were kept clean during their stay.

Quietness

How often the area around patients' rooms was quiet at night, supporting rest and recovery.

Quality & Cost Context

ASCENSION COLUMBIA ST MARYS HOSPITAL MILWAUKEE has a 3-star overall patient satisfaction rating, placing it in the top 80% of hospitals nationally. 60% of patients would definitely recommend this hospital. A colonoscopy near this hospital costs a median of $362. Higher-rated hospitals do not necessarily cost more — in fact, many top-rated facilities negotiate competitive rates with insurers.

Specialties at ASCENSION COLUMBIA ST MARYS HOSPITAL MILWAUKEE

Physician specialties available at this hospital, based on 57 affiliated physicians from the CMS NPI Registry.

Self-Pay Procedure Costs

Average negotiated rates for common procedures near Milwaukee, WI. These are physician/professional fees — facility fees are additional.

ProcedureLowMedianHigh
Cataract Surgery$387$1,013$2,979
Colonoscopy$81$362$1,182
C-Section$81$4,282$6,532
ER Visit (Moderate Severity)$73$127$437
Hip Replacement$72$2,927$7,051
Knee Replacement$72$2,924$7,044
Gallbladder Removal (Laparoscopic)$73$1,221$3,837

Cost data sourced from insurer Transparency in Coverage Act filings. Costs shown are negotiated rates and may not reflect your actual out-of-pocket cost. Learn about our data

Nearby Hospitals

Doctors Near Milwaukee

Top-rated physicians practicing near this hospital in Milwaukee, WI.

About

Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital Milwaukee has received an overall star rating of 3 out of 5. The hospital has a recommendation rate of 60.0%, with 63.0% of surveyed patients rating their experience as a 9 or 10. A total of 315 patient surveys were completed, reflecting a response rate of 19.0%. The hospital's top strength is in doctor communication, with 80.0% of patients reporting effective communication from their doctors, which is above the national average of 78.6%. However, an area identified for improvement is communication about medicines. In terms of nursing communication, 75.0% of patients felt that nurses communicated effectively, which is slightly below the national average of 78.6%. Additionally, only 52.0% of patients reported that they always received help when needed, compared to the national average of 63.0%. Cleanliness ratings were at 68.0%, while the hospital's quietness was rated at 56.0%, both of which are below the respective national averages of 72.0% and 58.7%. For common procedures, the median costs include cataract surgery at $1,013.02, colonoscopy at $361.63, C-section at $4,281.53, moderate severity ER visit at $127.08, and hip replacement at $2,927.07. Data source: CMS HCAHPS.

Location

Address

2323 N LAKE DR

Milwaukee, WI 53211

MILWAUKEE County

Phone

(414) 585-1374

Written by Jayant Panwar | Last reviewed: Q1 2026

Medically reviewed for accuracy

Official U.S. Government Data: Quality ratings sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) HCAHPS Patient Survey, Jan–Dec 2024. Based on 315 completed patient surveys (19% response rate). Procedure costs from federally mandated Transparency in Coverage (TiC) Act filings.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Hospital quality ratings reflect patient survey responses and may not predict individual outcomes. Always consult with your healthcare provider and insurance company for specific medical decisions. Learn about our data · Editorial policy

Medical & Financial Disclaimer

Cost estimates on this page are derived from CMS Hospital Price Transparency (TiC) data and represent typical self-pay rates for the local area. Actual costs vary by patient, procedure complexity, insurance plan, and time of service. This information is for educational and comparison purposes only — it is not a bill, benefit determination, or medical advice. Always consult directly with the hospital's billing department and your insurance provider for accurate cost information before receiving care.

Data Sources & Methodology

HCAHPS Patient Survey — Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Survey period: Q1–Q3 2024. Minimum 100 completed surveys required for publication. cms.gov/hcahps ↗

Hospital Price Transparency (TiC) — CMS machine-readable files. Aggregated to metro-area median ranges. Includes standard charges and discounted cash prices. cms.gov/hospital-price-transparency ↗

Last updated: December 15, 2024. Data refreshed quarterly.

Rating methodology: HCAHPS composite domains normalized to 0–100 scale per CMS technical specifications. Star ratings reflect patient-reported experience, not clinical outcome measures.