Dale Medical CenterOzark, AL
Dale Medical Center is a public acute care hospital in Ozark, Alabama, with an emergency department. As of the July 2026 CMS release, patients treated and sent home spend a median of 2 hr 28 min in its emergency department, about the same as the Alabama average of 2 hr 32 min.
- Time ZoneCST
- CountyDale
- Emergency CapableYes
- FIPS1045
- Area Code334
Visiting Dale Medical Center
- Photo ID and your insurance, Medicare or Medicaid card
- A list of your medicines, doses and allergies
- Your doctor's name and phone number
- A phone charger
Quality and performance
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · data as of July 2026
Patients spend an average of 2 hours 28 minutes in the emergency department at Dale Medical Center. That is about the same as the Alabama average of 2 hours 32 minutes.
Source: CMS Hospital General Information and Timely & Effective Care. Wait times are a median over a past 12-month reporting period, not live data. Not affiliated with CMS or with Dale Medical Center. For a medical emergency, call 911.
Compare ER waits across Alabama · How we source this data · Something wrong on this page? Tell us
What patients say
CMS patient survey (HCAHPS) · 62 completed surveys · patients discharged Oct 2024 – Sep 2025
73% would definitely recommend it (U.S. average 71%). 72% rated it 9 or 10 out of 10.
The patient survey (HCAHPS) asks a random sample of adult patients about their recent hospital stay. CMS adjusts the results for the mix of patients and how the survey was done, so hospitals can be compared fairly. CMS gives a star rating only to hospitals with at least 100 completed surveys, so this hospital has answer percentages but no stars. These results come from fewer than 100 completed surveys, so CMS advises using them with caution. About the data.
Infections, complications and deaths
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · compared with hospitals nationwide
Dale Medical Center was no different from the national benchmark on the one hospital-acquired infection CMS could compare. Its rate of serious complications was same as national.
Hospital-acquired infections
Serious complications
Death rates within 30 days
| Patients treated for | This hospital | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Pneumonia patients | 14.8% | 15.2% |
| Hospital-wide, all conditions | 6.3% | 3.9% |
Risk-adjusted rates. CMS has not published a statistical better/worse comparison for these death rates in the current release, so small differences from the U.S. rate may be chance.
Other complications
None of the other safety indicators CMS compares was statistically better or worse than national.
All 7 complication measures
| Measure | This hospital | U.S. | CMS comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pressure ulcers (bed sores)per 1,000 patients | 0.56 | 0.63 | Same as national |
| Falls in the hospital that caused a broken boneper 1,000 patients | 0.27 | 0.27 | Same as national |
| Collapsed lung caused by a medical procedureper 1,000 patients | 0.21 | 0.21 | Same as national |
| Bleeding or blood clot under the skin after surgeryper 1,000 patients | 2.33 | 2.34 | Same as national |
| Respiratory failure after surgeryper 1,000 patients | 16.47 | 9.42 | Same as national |
| Blood clots in the lungs or legs after surgeryper 1,000 patients | 3.47 | 3.52 | Same as national |
| Accidental cuts or tears during abdominal surgeryper 1,000 patients | 1.04 | 1.06 | Same as national |
"Better" or "worse" means CMS found the difference from the national benchmark statistically significant; most hospitals are "no different". Infection results compare the infections a hospital reported with the number predicted for a hospital of its size and type (a ratio below 1 means fewer than predicted), for Oct 2024 – Sep 2025. Death and complication rates are risk-adjusted for how sick patients were. Each death rate counts deaths within 30 days of a hospital stay, pooled over one to three years of Medicare patients depending on the measure. About the data.
Readmissions and return visits
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · Medicare patients · Jul 2023 – Jun 2025
On the 1 readmission and return-visit measures CMS could compare, Dale Medical Center was no different from the national rate or its expected level.
Back in the hospital within 30 days
| After a stay for | This hospital | U.S. | CMS comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heart failure | 20.6% | 21.3% | Not compared |
| Pneumonia | 16.9% | 17.3% | Not compared |
| COPD (chronic lung disease) | 19.8% | 20% | Not compared |
Return trips after a stay or procedure
Medicare's readmission program
Excess readmission ratio: this hospital's predicted readmissions divided by the number expected for a typical hospital with the same patients. Above 1.00 means more readmissions than expected. 1 of 1 condition is above 1.00.
| Condition | Ratio | Patients | Readmissions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pneumonia | 1.002 | – | More than expected |
Readmission rates count Medicare patients who were admitted to any acute-care hospital within 30 days of leaving this one, adjusted for how sick they were. "Better" or "worse" means CMS found the difference from the national rate statistically significant; most hospitals are "no different". Return-day and outpatient-surgery measures compare the hospital with what CMS expected for its own patients. The Readmissions Reduction Program ratios are shown as CMS publishes them; whether a hospital's payments are reduced depends on how its ratios compare with similar hospitals, so a ratio above 1.00 alone doesn't mean a penalty. About the data.
Timely and effective care
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · all patients unless noted · Oct 2024 – Sep 2025
Dale Medical Center's emergency department is classed by CMS as low volume.
| Measure | This hospital | U.S.* |
|---|---|---|
| Sepsis: got all recommended early treatmentPatients with severe sepsis or septic shock who received every step of the recommended early care bundle. Higher is better. 30 patients. | 53% | 65% |
| Septic shock: full treatment within 3 hoursHigher is better. 15 patients. | 60% | 73% |
| Typical time in the ER before going homeMedian minutes from arrival to leaving, for ER patients sent home (not counting mental health patients or transfers). Lower is better. 338 patients. | 148 min | 162 min |
| Typical ER time for mental health patients sent homeMedian minutes from arrival to leaving. Lower is better. 11 patients. | 279 min | 257 min |
| Typical ER time for patients transferred to another facilityMedian minutes from arrival to leaving. Lower is better. 32 patients. | 260 min | 287 min |
| Patients who left the ER before being seenLower is better. 17,154 patients. | 2% | 2% |
| Health care workers vaccinated against fluHigher is better. 560 patients. | 53% | 78% |
| Discharged on two opioids, or an opioid and a benzodiazepinePatients sent home with prescriptions that raise the risk of overdose when combined. Lower is better. 187 patients. | 11% | 15% |
| Colonoscopy: right follow-up interval for average-risk patientsHigher is better. 42 patients. | 88% | 93% |
| Blood clot prevention givenHigher is better. 479 patients. | 63% | 90%* |
| Blood clot prevention given in intensive careHigher is better. 86 patients. | 85% | 97%* |
CMS publishes these process-of-care measures without a better/worse verdict, so the U.S. figure is shown for context; small differences, or results based on few patients, may not mean much. *Median of all hospitals CMS reports, where CMS publishes no national figure. About the data.
Medicare spending and payment programs
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
The Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program cuts Medicare payments by 1% for the quarter of hospitals with the worst scores. The Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program withholds a small share of every hospital's Medicare payments and pays it back according to the total performance score. A spending ratio of 1.00 equals the national median; spending reflects prices, the services patients received and care after discharge, not quality. Some hospitals, such as critical access, children's and cancer hospitals, are not part of these programs. About the data.
Inpatient psychiatric unit
CMS Inpatient psychiatric care Quality Reporting Program, data through March 2025 · unit CCN 010021
Dale Medical Center runs an inpatient psychiatric unit that reports its own results to Medicare. Readmitted within 30 days: 17% here, against 19% nationally. Where CMS compares facilities statistically, this one is no different from the national rate.
After discharge
During the stay
Source: CMS Inpatient psychiatric care Quality Reporting Program (Provider Data Catalog). Better/worse labels appear only where CMS itself compared the facility with the national rate; other figures are shown next to the national figure for context. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide and Crisis Lifeline) or call 911.
Doctors at Dale Medical Center
78 Medicare-enrolled doctors and specialists list this hospital as an affiliation, across 15 specialties.
Federal rules require hospitals to publish their prices, including the rates they've negotiated with each insurer and their cash prices. Dale Medical Center lists them here:
From the hospital's price transparency file (www.dalemedical.org/cms-hpt.txt), checked Oct 24, 2026. For an estimate of what you'll pay, ask the hospital or your insurer; Medicare's averages are on our procedure cost pages.
What Medicare paid at Dale Medical Center
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · original Medicare patients · 2024
Average hospital charges and actual payments for the procedures Medicare patients most often had here, compared with the average for Alabama.
Hospital stays
| Stay | Stays | Avg charge | Avg payment | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PsychosesDRG 885 | 27 | $30,198 | $11,698 | +8% |
| Septicemia or severe sepsis without ventilator >96 hours with major complicationsDRG 871 | 12 | $31,369 | $15,724 | +7% |
Outpatient services
| Service | Services | Avg charge | Avg allowed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comprehensive Observation ServicesAPC 8011 | 156 | $13,541 | $2,169 |
| Level 3 Airway EndoscopyAPC 5153 | 23 | $2,653 | $1,342 |
| Level 5 Neurostimulator and Related ProceduresAPC 5465 | 18 | $91,274 | $24,045 |
| Level 2 Excision/Biopsy/Incision and DrainageAPC 5072 | – | – | – |
| Level 3 Excision/Biopsy/Incision and DrainageAPC 5073 | – | – | – |
Charges are the hospital's list prices; payments are what Medicare, the patient and any other insurer actually paid (for outpatient services, Medicare's allowed amount). Private insurance prices differ. "vs state" compares this hospital's average payment with the state average for the same stay. All procedure costs.
Size and finances
Medicare cost report · fiscal year ending Sep 2024
As reported by the hospital to CMS; not audited. Operating margin is income from patient care divided by net patient revenue and leaves out investment income and donations. Compare Alabama hospital finances.
Who owns Dale Medical Center
Medicare enrollment and ownership records (PECOS)
Medicare lists the hospital's legal name as Dale Medical Center, a non-profit organization, incorporated 2007.
130 doctors and other clinicians list Dale Medical Center as a hospital affiliation in Medicare's clinician directory.
Organizations with 5% or more ownership (directly or through other companies), partnership interests or operational control, as the hospital reported them to Medicare. Records can lag behind recent sales. Individuals are not listed. Who owns America's hospitals.
The area around Dale Medical Center
HRSA shortage designations and BLS pay data
Primary care: Parts of Dale are federally designated health professional shortage areas (1 designation). Highest shortage score 18.
Mental health: Dale is a federally designated health professional shortage area. Highest shortage score 11.
Dental: Parts of Dale are federally designated health professional shortage areas (1 designation). Highest shortage score 17.
Nurse pay: registered nurses in Alabama earn a median $77,080 a year. Healthcare salaries in Alabama.
Shortage areas are designated by the Health Resources and Services Administration where there are too few primary care, mental health or dental providers for the population; scores run from 0 to 25 for primary and mental health care and 0 to 26 for dental care, higher meaning greater need. Alabama shortage areas
Find doctors in Ozark
Medicare-enrolled specialists with a practice in Ozark, with addresses, phone numbers and the hospitals they work with.