Some Ballad Health hospitals receive low ratings

Two of Ballad Health’s three flagship hospitals are among 8% of hospitals nationwide with the lowest marks in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services most recent hospital “star ratings.” Critics of Ballad have been pointing out those rating on social media platforms as Ballad leaders point to the ratings as flawed methodology. Ballad leaders say the two “one star” hospitals — Johnson City Medical Center and Bristol Regional Medical Center— are where they send some of their most complex patients because they say those hospitals are best equipped to deliver “better outcomes” than some Ballad facilities with higher star ratings.