Hospitals in Des Moines, IA
As of the July 2026 CMS release, Des Moines, Iowa, has 5 hospitals, all with an emergency department. The median emergency room visit lasts 3 hr 24 min, 1 hr 24 min longer than the Iowa median of 2 hr. The shortest is at Iowa Methodist Medical Center (3 hr 2 min). The highest Medicare star rating among its 4 rated hospitals is 4 out of 5, at VA Central Iowa Healthcare System.
Hospitals
5
1,151 beds (3 reporting)
With an ER
5
emergency departments
There are 5 hospitals in Des Moines, Iowa, in Polk County. 5 of them have an emergency department. By type: 3 acute care hospitals and 1 VA acute care hospital (type not recorded for 1).
The median emergency department visit in Des Moines lasts 3 hr 24 min, 1 hr 24 min longer than the Iowa median of 2 hr. The shortest is at Iowa Methodist Medical Center, 3 hr 2 min.
Des Moines hospitals
Showing all 5 hospitals
- Broadlawns Medical Center 1801 Hickman Rd, 50314 · (515) 282-2200 3 hr 24 minmedian ER Emergency room acute care hospital Birthing-friendly 108 beds
- Iowa Methodist Medical Center 1200 Pleasant St, 50309 · (515) 241-6212 3 hr 2 minmedian ER Emergency room acute care hospital Birthing-friendly 471 beds
- Mercy Medical Center-Des Moines 1111 6th Ave, 50314 · (515) 247-3121 4 hr 4 minmedian ER Emergency room acute care hospital Birthing-friendly 572 beds
- VA Central Iowa Healthcare System 3600 30th St, 50310 · (515) 699-5999 Emergency room
- VA Central Iowa Healthcare System 3600 30th Street, 50310 · (515) 699-5999 Emergency room VA acute care hospital
No Des Moines hospital matches that. .
No longer listed by Medicare (closed or merged): Iowa Lutheran Hospital, Metropolitan Medical Center. These pages are kept for reference.
Compare hospitals in Des Moines
Two Des Moines hospitals side by side on Medicare ratings, patient reviews, ER times and safety.
Broadlawns Medical Center vs VA Central Iowa Healthcare System
Broadlawns Medical Center vs Mercy Medical Center-Des Moines
Broadlawns Medical Center vs Iowa Methodist Medical Center
Iowa Methodist Medical Center vs Mercy Medical Center-Des Moines
Iowa Methodist Medical Center vs VA Central Iowa Healthcare System
Mercy Medical Center-Des Moines vs VA Central Iowa Healthcare System
Community health centers near Des Moines
Community health centers (federally qualified health centers) see patients with or without insurance and charge on a sliding scale based on income. They are not emergency rooms: call ahead for an appointment.
- 1.0mi Primary Health Care - Pharmacy 1200 University Ave STE 105, Des Moines, IA · Primary Health Care, INC 515-262-0854
- 1.0mi Primary Health Care - University Clinic 1200 University Ave, Suite 120, Des Moines, IA · Primary Health Care, INC 515-248-1500
- 1.0mi Primary Health Care - University Dental Clinic 1200 University Ave, Suite 100, Des Moines, IA · Primary Health Care, INC 515-248-1850
- 1.5mi Proteus, Inc. - Des Moines site 1221 Center St, Suite 16, Des Moines, IA · Proteus INC. 888-750-4736
Source: HRSA Health Center Program (HHS).
Care after the hospital in Des Moines
Medicare-certified dialysis centers, home health agencies and hospices, with their CMS ratings.
Find doctors in Des Moines
Medicare-enrolled specialists with a practice in Des Moines, with addresses, phone numbers and the hospitals they work with.
Family doctors 139 Internal medicine doctors 133 Psychiatrists 62 Cardiologists 51 OB-GYNs 37 General surgeons 36 Oncologists 31 Podiatrists 29 Orthopedic surgeons 28 Neurologists 24 Physical medicine and rehabilitation doctors 17 Nephrologists 15 Pediatricians 13 Psychologists 13 Pulmonologists 13 Urologists 13 Radiation oncologists 12 Neurosurgeons 11 All doctors in Des Moines
People and health care in Des Moines
From the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2020–2024) for the city of Des Moines.
Population
212,421
Median age 34.6
Hospitals per 100,000
2.4
5 hospitals listed
No health insurance
7.2%
below the U.S. 8.4%
Age 65 and over
12.7%
below the U.S. 17.2%
Median household income
$65,932
U.S. $80,734
What nurses earn in Iowa
Questions about hospitals in Des Moines
How many hospitals are in Des Moines, Iowa?
There are 5 hospitals in Des Moines, Iowa. 5 of them have an emergency department.
How long is the emergency room wait in Des Moines?
The median emergency department visit in Des Moines lasts 3 hr 24 min, based on CMS measure OP-18b. That is a median over a 12-month reporting period, not a live figure. The Iowa median is 2 hr.
Which hospital in Des Moines has the shortest ER wait?
Iowa Methodist Medical Center reports the shortest median emergency department visit in Des Moines at 3 hr 2 min.
Which hospital in Des Moines has the best Medicare star rating?
VA Central Iowa Healthcare System has 4 out of 5 stars, the highest overall rating among the 4 Des Moines hospitals CMS rates.
Source: hospital listings from CMS and public records; emergency room wait times (measure OP-18b) and overall star ratings from CMS Care Compare. Wait times are 12-month medians, not live. Where these figures come from.
Not affiliated with CMS. For a medical emergency, call 911.