JONESBORO, Ark.—Federal data released in August 2026 by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) show mixed performance for Jonesboro’s two hospitals: St. Bernards Medical Center and NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital. The findings highlight areas for improvement and raise questions about the information shared on hospital websites.
In the latest CMS ratings, St. Bernards earned one out of five stars for overall quality, while NEA Baptist received three. Both hospitals scored four stars for patient experience, a separate metric based on feedback surveys. These ratings are part of the Medicare Care Compare database, which evaluates hospitals nationwide on key indicators, including mortality rates and safety measures.
One area of concern for St. Bernards is its higher-than-average mortality rate for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Federal data show a 12.8% death rate, compared to the national average of 8.6%. The hospital also saw worse-than-average results for serious complications and hospital-wide mortality rates. Additionally, readmissions following coronary bypass surgery were flagged, with St. Bernards reporting a 15.3% rate compared to the national benchmark of 11.0%.
NEA Baptist showed strengths in areas such as shorter emergency room visits, a 128-minute median stay compared to 211 minutes at St. Bernards, and fewer bypass readmissions (11.4%) than its counterpart. However, Baptist’s death rate for bypass surgery was significantly higher than average, at 6.4%, compared to 2.4% nationally. The hospital’s sepsis-care compliance also fell short, meeting guidelines in only 67% of cases, compared to 86% at St. Bernards.
Despite the importance of these federal findings, neither hospital’s website offers a comprehensive view of its current performance. St. Bernards’ quality and safety page lists outdated figures, including a bypass readmission rate of 11.4%, which has since worsened to 15.3%. Meanwhile, NEA Baptist highlights national awards, including a 2024 Leapfrog "A" safety grade, but omits mention of its three subsequent "B" grades. Unlike St. Bernards, NEA Baptist does not reference CMS ratings on its site.
When asked for comment, NEA Baptist CEO Craig Earley acknowledged the hospital’s recent rating challenges but stressed ongoing efforts to improve. He stated, "Although our recent CMS and Leapfrog ratings differ from the level of performance we expect and have historically achieved, our commitment to high-quality care remains unchanged."
While St. Bernards did not respond to NEA Report’s inquiries about its outdated website content, the hospital’s choice to highlight older, more favorable metrics may mislead patients. Federal data show the hospital’s sepsis-care rate has improved from 67% to 86%, but its COPD and bypass readmission figures have worsened.
Both hospitals saw similar declines in Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades, with St. Bernards receiving "C" marks in the past three rounds. Notably, Leapfrog lists "Declined to Report" for infection data from St. Bernards, indicating the hospital did not share requested information for the evaluations.
The Medicare Care Compare database offers the most up-to-date, standardized assessments of hospital performance, though these figures are subject to a reporting lag. For example, the CMS ratings released in August 2026 describe care delivered as far back as 2022. Patients can access the full findings at Medicare’s hospital comparison website.
While ratings like these provide valuable benchmarks, patients are encouraged to discuss any concerns about hospital care directly with their healthcare providers.