Penn Highlands Elk, Saint Marys, PA

Infections, complications and deaths

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · compared with hospitals nationwide

Penn Highlands Elk was no different from the national benchmark on the one hospital-acquired infection CMS could compare.

Hospital-acquired infections

Death rates within 30 days

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), 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 2 readmission and return-visit measures CMS could compare, Penn Highlands Elk was no different from the national rate or its expected level.

Back in the hospital within 30 days

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

Penn Highlands Elk's emergency department is classed by CMS as low volume.

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.

Size and finances

Medicare cost report · fiscal year ending Jun 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 Pennsylvania hospital finances.

Who owns Penn Highlands Elk

Medicare enrollment and ownership records (PECOS)

Medicare lists the hospital's legal name as Elk Regional Health Center, a non-profit organization, incorporated 1920.

342 doctors and other clinicians list Penn Highlands Elk 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.

Non-profit finances

IRS Form 990 · tax year ending Jun 2022 · Elk Regional Health Center (EIN 25-0585280)

As filed with the IRS by Elk Regional Health Center. Matched by name and address, so check the filing to confirm it's the right organization. See the full Form 990 filings · Non-profit hospital finances.

The area around Penn Highlands Elk

HRSA shortage designations and BLS pay data

Nurse pay: registered nurses in Pennsylvania earn a median $96,430 a year. Healthcare salaries in Pennsylvania.

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.