Source: CMS Care Compare, July 2026 releaseER figures are medians, not live waitsAbout the data
Visiting Baptist Health - Fort Smith
Fort Smith, AR 72901
County: Sebastian Directions Apple Maps Call (479) 441-4000
- 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
Official links: Website for Baptist Health - Fort Smith (opens the hospital's site)
Nearby hospitals
- <0.1mi Healthsouth Rehab Hospital Fort Smith, AR Call Healthsouth Rehab Hospital Directions to Healthsouth Rehab Hospital (Google Maps) Details for Healthsouth Rehab Hospital
- 3.9mi Mercy Hospital Fort Smith Fort Smith, AR · Emergency room · median ER visit 3 hr 48 min Call Mercy Hospital Fort Smith Directions to Mercy Hospital Fort Smith (Google Maps) Details for Mercy Hospital Fort Smith
- 6.4mi Valley Behavioral Health System Fort Smith, AR Call Valley Behavioral Health System Directions to Valley Behavioral Health System (Google Maps) Details for Valley Behavioral Health System
Quick answers about Baptist Health - Fort Smith
How long is the ER wait at Baptist Health - Fort Smith?
CMS doesn't publish live wait times. Over the 12 months CMS reported, patients treated and sent home spent a median of 2 hr 4 min in the Baptist Health - Fort Smith emergency room (the average across Arkansas hospitals is 2 hr 19 min). 2% of ER patients left before being seen. For tonight's wait, check the hospital's website (opens the hospital's own site) or call (479) 441-4000. In an emergency, call 911.
What is the phone number for Baptist Health - Fort Smith?
The main phone number for Baptist Health - Fort Smith is (479) 441-4000, from Medicare's hospital records.
Call (479) 441-4000What is the address of Baptist Health - Fort Smith?
Baptist Health - Fort Smith is at 1001 Towson Ave, Fort Smith, AR 72901.
Directions (opens Google Maps)Does Baptist Health - Fort Smith have an emergency room?
Yes. Baptist Health - Fort Smith has an emergency department, according to Medicare data.
What is Baptist Health - Fort Smith's Medicare star rating?
Baptist Health - Fort Smith has an overall rating of 2 out of 5 stars from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Star ratings come from CMS quality and safety measures, not patient reviews.
Quality and performance
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · data as of July 2026
Patients treated and sent home from the emergency department at Baptist Health - Fort Smith spend a median of 2 hours 4 minutes there. That is 15 minutes shorter than the average across Arkansas hospitals (2 hours 19 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 Baptist Health - Fort Smith. For a medical emergency, call 911.
Compare ER waits across Arkansas · How Arkansas hospitals rank on star ratings · Other birthing-friendly hospitals in Arkansas · How we source this data · Something wrong on this page? Tell us
What patients say
CMS patient survey (HCAHPS) · 546 completed surveys · patients discharged Oct 2024 – Sep 2025
Patients gave Baptist Health - Fort Smith a 2-star patient experience rating out of 5. 66% would definitely recommend it (U.S. average 71%). 64% 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. About the data.
Compare Baptist Health - Fort Smith
Infections, complications and deaths
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · compared with hospitals nationwide
Of the 5 hospital-acquired infections CMS could compare, Baptist Health - Fort Smith was better than the national benchmark on 1 and worse on 0. 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. |
|---|---|---|
| Heart attack patients | 13.1% | 11.9% |
| Heart failure patients | 9.7% | 11.1% |
| Pneumonia patients | 12.2% | 15.2% |
| Stroke patients | 16.6% | 11.9% |
| COPD patients | 9.1% | 8.6% |
| Coronary bypass (CABG) surgery patients | 3.1% | 2.4% |
| Hospital-wide, all conditions | 4.5% | 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
All 11 complication measures
| Measure | This hospital | U.S. | CMS comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths among surgical patients with serious treatable complicationsper 1,000 patients | 169.06 | 173.3 | Same as national |
| Pressure ulcers (bed sores)per 1,000 patients | 1.89 | 0.63 | Worse than national |
| Falls in the hospital that caused a broken boneper 1,000 patients | 0.25 | 0.27 | Same as national |
| Collapsed lung caused by a medical procedureper 1,000 patients | 0.16 | 0.21 | Same as national |
| Bleeding or blood clot under the skin after surgeryper 1,000 patients | 2.13 | 2.34 | Same as national |
| Kidney injury needing dialysis after surgeryper 1,000 patients | 1.31 | 1.67 | Same as national |
| Respiratory failure after surgeryper 1,000 patients | 8.25 | 9.42 | Same as national |
| Blood clots in the lungs or legs after surgeryper 1,000 patients | 3.04 | 3.52 | Same as national |
| Bloodstream infection (sepsis) after surgeryper 1,000 patients | 5.07 | 5.27 | Same as national |
| Surgical wound splitting openper 1,000 patients | 1.89 | 1.77 | Same as national |
| Accidental cuts or tears during abdominal surgeryper 1,000 patients | 2.03 | 1.06 | Worse than 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 4 readmission and return-visit measures CMS could compare, Baptist Health - Fort Smith 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 attack | 15% | 14.4% | Not compared |
| Heart failure | 21.7% | 21.3% | Not compared |
| Pneumonia | 15.5% | 17.3% | Not compared |
| COPD (chronic lung disease) | 20% | 20% | Not compared |
| Heart bypass surgery (CABG) | 12.5% | 11% | 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. 4 of 5 conditions are above 1.00.
| Condition | Ratio | Patients | Readmissions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heart failure | 1.118 | 601 | More than expected |
| Heart bypass surgery | 1.035 | – | More than expected |
| COPD | 1.028 | 260 | More than expected |
| Heart attack | 1.027 | 254 | More than expected |
| Pneumonia | 0.950 | 627 | Fewer 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
Baptist Health - Fort Smith's emergency department is classed by CMS as high 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. 226 patients. | 78% | 65% |
| Septic shock: full treatment within 3 hoursHigher is better. 101 patients. | 88% | 73% |
| Stroke: brain scan read within 45 minutes of ER arrivalPatients arriving with stroke symptoms whose head CT or MRI was interpreted within 45 minutes. Higher is better. 13 patients. | 62% | 69% |
| 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. 314 patients. | 124 min | 162 min |
| Typical ER time for mental health patients sent homeMedian minutes from arrival to leaving. Lower is better. 16 patients. | 166 min | 257 min |
| Typical ER time for patients transferred to another facilityMedian minutes from arrival to leaving. Lower is better. 41 patients. | 220 min | 287 min |
| Patients who left the ER before being seenLower is better. 54,622 patients. | 2% | 2% |
| Health care workers vaccinated against fluHigher is better. 1,641 patients. | 62% | 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. 3,069 patients. | 17% | 15% |
| Colonoscopy: right follow-up interval for average-risk patientsHigher is better. 145 patients. | 75% | 93% |
| Stroke: discharged on clot-prevention medicineHigher is better. 219 patients. | 97% | 98%* |
| Stroke with atrial fibrillation: discharged on a blood thinnerHigher is better. 66 patients. | 65% | 75%* |
| Stroke: clot prevention started by day 2Higher is better. 210 patients. | 92% | 94%* |
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.
Maternity care
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · reported by the hospital · Jan 2024 – Dec 2024
Maternity measures are reported by hospitals that deliver babies. The U.S. figure is the median of the hospitals CMS reports, not a CMS verdict. About the data.
Medicare spending and payment programs
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Value-based purchasing scores by area
| Area | Score (out of 100) |
|---|---|
| Clinical outcomesDeath rates and complications | 40 |
| Patient experiencePatient survey results | 34 |
| SafetyHospital-acquired infections | 33.3 |
| Efficiency and costMedicare spending per patient | 20 |
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.
Care after a stay at Baptist Health - Fort Smith
Medicare-certified providers near this hospital, with their CMS ratings. A hospital discharge planner can make the referral.
Skilled nursing facilities nearby
- 1.7mi Riverside Health Services Arkoma, OK · 56 beds Medicare overall 1 of 5 stars
- 2.2mi Chapel Ridge Health and Rehab Fort Smith, AR · 74 beds Medicare overall 4 of 5 stars
- 2.8mi Covington Court Health and Rehabilitation Center Fort Smith, AR · 140 beds Medicare overall 5 of 5 stars · Short-stay quality 4 of 5
Skilled nursing ratings and inspections at Nursing Homes In Each State
Dialysis centers nearby See more
- 4.6mi Ft Smith Regional Dialysis CtrFort Smith, AR
- 7.6mi Van Buren Dialysis CenterVan Buren, AR
- 21mi DaVita Redbird Smith DialysisSallisaw, OK
Home health agencies nearby See more
- 0.7mi Elite Home HealthFort Smith, AR · 82% would recommend
- 0.7mi Area Agency on Aging of Western Arkansas, INC.Fort Smith, AR
- 3.6mi Kindred at Home 1Fort Smith, AR · 84% would recommend
Hospice care providers nearby See more
- 0.7mi Area Agency on Aging of Western Arkansas INCFort Smith, AR Not rated
- 3.6mi Heart of HospiceFort Smith, AR · 86% would recommend
- 3.6mi Mercy HospiceFort Smith, AR · 82% would recommend
Source: CMS Care Compare. Distances are approximate.
Inpatient psychiatric unit
CMS Inpatient psychiatric care Quality Reporting Program, data through March 2025 · unit CCN 040055
Baptist Health - Fort Smith runs an inpatient psychiatric unit that reports its own results to Medicare. Follow-up within 7 days: 29% here, against 37% 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 Baptist Health - Fort Smith
220 Medicare-enrolled doctors and other clinicians list this hospital as an affiliation, across 26 specialties.
Find doctors in Fort Smith
Medicare-enrolled specialists with a practice in Fort Smith, with addresses, phone numbers and the hospitals they work with.
What Medicare paid at Baptist Health - Fort Smith
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 Arkansas.
Hospital stays
| Stay | Stays | Avg billed | Avg payment (Medicare + patient) | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Septicemia or severe sepsis without ventilator >96 hours with major complicationsDRG 871 | 259 | $69,287 | $12,992 | −9% |
| Heart failure and shock with major complicationsDRG 291 | 167 | $41,365 | $8,567 | −9% |
| Simple pneumonia and pleurisy with major complicationsDRG 193 | 147 | $45,964 | $8,962 | −6% |
| Respiratory infections and inflammations with major complicationsDRG 177 | 106 | $54,159 | $10,807 | −9% |
| Acute myocardial infarction, discharged alive with major complicationsDRG 280 | 106 | $52,352 | $10,562 | −6% |
| Pulmonary edema and respiratory failureDRG 189 | 67 | $46,231 | $8,663 | −6% |
| Renal failure with major complicationsDRG 682 | 63 | $52,621 | $9,787 | −9% |
| Infectious and parasitic diseases with operating room procedures with major complicationsDRG 853 | 60 | $147,879 | $30,699 | −11% |
Outpatient services
| Service | Services | Avg billed | Avg allowed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comprehensive Observation ServicesAPC 8011 | 556 | $19,090 | $2,286 |
| Level 1 Endovascular ProceduresAPC 5191 | 226 | $18,849 | $2,751 |
| Level 2 Excision/Biopsy/Incision and DrainageAPC 5072 | 165 | $9,642 | $1,320 |
| Level 3 Vascular ProceduresAPC 5183 | 138 | $13,838 | $2,680 |
| Level 4 Urology and Related ServicesAPC 5374 | 132 | $15,862 | $2,929 |
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 Dec 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 Arkansas hospital finances.
Who owns Baptist Health - Fort Smith
Medicare enrollment and ownership records (PECOS)
Medicare lists the hospital's legal name as Baptist Health Regional Hospitals , incorporated 2018.
347 doctors and other clinicians list Baptist Health - Fort Smith 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 Baptist Health - Fort Smith
HRSA shortage designations and BLS pay data
Primary care: Parts of Sebastian are federally designated health professional shortage areas (1 designation). Highest shortage score 15.
Mental health: Parts of Sebastian are federally designated health professional shortage areas (1 designation). Highest shortage score 18.
Dental: Parts of Sebastian are federally designated health professional shortage areas (1 designation). Highest shortage score 17.
Nurse pay: registered nurses in Arkansas earn a median $78,940 a year. Healthcare salaries in Arkansas.
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. Arkansas shortage areas
Closest other hospitals
Add this rating badge to your website
The badge updates automatically when CMS publishes new ratings. The compact and footer-strip sizes fit site footers and sidebars. All badge sizes and help.
Cite this data
Writing about Baptist Health - Fort Smith? You're welcome to quote these figures. They are free to use under CC BY 4.0: please credit HospitalsInEachState.com and link to this page.