Valley West Community HospitalSandwich, IL
Valley West Community Hospital is a non-profit critical access hospital in Sandwich, Illinois, with an emergency department. As of the July 2026 CMS release, patients treated and sent home spend a median of 2 hr 16 min in its emergency department, 39 min shorter than the Illinois average of 2 hr 55 min. Medicare rates it 4 out of 5 stars overall, and patients give it 4 out of 5 in the Medicare patient survey.
(815) 786-8484- Time ZoneCST
- CountyDeKalb
- Emergency CapableYes
- FIPS17037
- Area Code815
Visiting Valley West Community Hospital
- 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 16 minutes in the emergency department at Valley West Community Hospital. That is 39 minutes shorter than the Illinois average of 2 hours 55 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 Valley West Community Hospital. For a medical emergency, call 911.
Compare ER waits across Illinois · How Illinois hospitals rank on star ratings · Other Critical Access hospitals in Illinois · How we source this data · Something wrong on this page? Tell us
What patients say
CMS patient survey (HCAHPS) · 112 completed surveys · patients discharged Oct 2024 – Sep 2025
Patients gave Valley West Community Hospital a 4-star patient experience rating out of 5. 75% would definitely recommend it (U.S. average 71%). 77% 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.
Infections, complications and deaths
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · compared with hospitals nationwide
Death rates within 30 days
| Patients treated for | This hospital | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Pneumonia patients | 14.8% | 15.2% |
| COPD patients | 8.4% | 8.6% |
| Hospital-wide, all conditions | 4.0% | 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.
"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). 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 2 readmission and return-visit measures CMS could compare, Valley West Community Hospital 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 | 20.7% | 21.3% | Not compared |
| Pneumonia | 16.7% | 17.3% | Not compared |
| COPD (chronic lung disease) | 19.9% | 20% | Not compared |
Return trips after a stay or procedure
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
Valley West Community Hospital'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. 31 patients. | 87% | 65% |
| 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. 349 patients. | 136 min | 162 min |
| Typical ER time for mental health patients sent homeMedian minutes from arrival to leaving. Lower is better. 18 patients. | 126 min | 257 min |
| Typical ER time for patients transferred to another facilityMedian minutes from arrival to leaving. Lower is better. 41 patients. | 294 min | 287 min |
| Patients who left the ER before being seenLower is better. 9,249 patients. | 1% | 2% |
| Health care workers vaccinated against fluHigher is better. 1,654 patients. | 97% | 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. 133 patients. | 16% | 15% |
| Colonoscopy: right follow-up interval for average-risk patientsHigher is better. 52 patients. | 100% | 93% |
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. About the data.
Doctors at Valley West Community Hospital
108 Medicare-enrolled doctors and other clinicians list this hospital as an affiliation, across 20 specialties.
Size and finances
Medicare cost report · fiscal year ending Aug 2025
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 Illinois hospital finances.
Who owns Valley West Community Hospital
Medicare enrollment and ownership records (PECOS)
Medicare lists the hospital's legal name as Valley West Community Hospital, a non-profit organization, incorporated 1998.
196 doctors and other clinicians list Valley West Community Hospital 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 Valley West Community Hospital
HRSA shortage designations and BLS pay data
Primary care: Parts of DeKalb are federally designated health professional shortage areas (1 designation). Highest shortage score 17.
Mental health: DeKalb is a federally designated health professional shortage area. Highest shortage score 17.
Dental: Parts of DeKalb are federally designated health professional shortage areas (1 designation). Highest shortage score 17.
Nurse pay: registered nurses in Illinois earn a median $95,990 a year. Healthcare salaries in Illinois.
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. Illinois shortage areas
Find doctors in Sandwich
Medicare-enrolled specialists with a practice in Sandwich, with addresses, phone numbers and the hospitals they work with.
Care after a stay at Valley West Community Hospital
Medicare-certified providers near this hospital, with their CMS ratings. A hospital discharge planner can make the referral.
Dialysis centers nearby See more
- 0.9mi FMC - Sandwich DialysisSandwich, IL
- 10mi Yorkville Dialysis CenterYorkville, IL
- 15mi FMC - Aurora Dialysis CenterAurora, IL
Home health agencies nearby See more
- 15mi Visiting Nurse Assocation of Fox ValleyAurora, IL
- 18mi American Home HealthAurora, IL Not rated
- 20mi Home Touch Healthcare, INCPlainfield, IL · 85% would recommend
Hospice care providers nearby See more
- 10mi Divine Hospice & Palliative CareYorkville, IL · 93% would recommend
- 15mi Vna Health Care, an Illinois Not-for-Profit CorporationAurora, IL Not rated
- 18mi Compassus-ChicagoDekalb, IL · 81% would recommend Not rated
Source: CMS Care Compare. Distances are approximate.
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