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Fifteen Defense Health Agency facilities earned top marks from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for how well they prepare patients to leave the hospital, according to an analysis by Becker’s Hospital Review.
The report identified 15 military hospitals and clinics that received a five-star rating for “Care Transitions” from CMS. The rating reflects how patients judged their discharge planning and follow-up instructions after an inpatient stay — a critical time in the patient care journey, said Dr. Paul Cordts, DHA deputy assistant director, medical affairs.
“A five-star CMS rating in care transitions shows our teams exceed national benchmarks during one of the most risk-prone moments in care,” he said, noting that strong care coordination, teamwork, and patient-centered discharge planning led to the CMS recognition.
CMS listed hospital and clinic ratings based on the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey, asking patients about their experience during a recent inpatient hospital stay. Responses were drawn from adult patients discharged from general acute care hospitals in the previous 30 days. The survey was completed between October 2023 and September 2024, and data was updated July 16, 2025.
Awarded military hospitals and clinics
The DHA military hospitals and clinics that received a five-star rating from CMS included:
Cordts said the recognition demonstrates the agency’s commitment to operational readiness: “By taking superior care of the patient, the DHA also takes care of the warfighter.”
Measuring patient experience
CMS scored hospitals and clinics through a survey asking patients to rate their health care experience through three key components:
Dr. Kristen Atterbury, DHA chief nursing officer, said those questions showed patients understood what to do after hospitalization — such as how to manage recovery, take medications correctly, and follow instructions — that can reduce complications and avoidable readmissions. “When we do those three things well, we empower patients, improve safety, and build trust,” she said.
Sharing decision-making, clearly communicating responsibilities, and thorough medication education are “cornerstones of a safe and positive patient experience,” while helping relieve the burden of recovering from injury and illness, Atterbury said. “A stressed and distracted service member is not a ready one.”
Aligning with DHA lines of effort
Cordts and Atterbury said the recognition correlates directly with DHA’s priorities of combat support, care reattraction, and enterprise services optimization.
The award gives DHA the opportunity to share best practices across the MHS, using patient feedback to refine discharge planning, medication counseling, and follow-up coordination — equipping warfighters to stay healthy while continuing recovery at home. This phase of the patient care journey can be vital to stay ready, said Atterbury. “A stable, and well-supported family at home enables a focused, mission-ready force in the field.”
Ultimately, the high marks received from CMS demonstrate DHA’s commitment to mission readiness, said Cordts.
“Excelling at care transitions is a strategic linchpin for the DHA,” he said. “It simultaneously enhances warfighter readiness by ensuring family well-being, attracts patients back to the direct care system, and provides a blueprint for system-wide improvement that is central to enterprise optimization.”
| Date Taken: | 01.13.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 01.13.2026 14:51 |
| Story ID: | 556148 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 88 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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