Becker's Analysis Finds 1,346 Hospital Immediate Jeopardy Surveys Since 2021
In its analysis of CMS survey data, Becker's Hospital Review reports that surveyors cited immediate jeopardy, the most serious deficiency finding, in 1,346 hospital surveys from 2021 through 2025. Immediate jeopardy findings peaked at 330 in 2023 before falling to 279 in 2024 and 234 in 2025, with about 95% of these surveys triggered by complaints rather than routine inspections. Psychiatric hospitals were cited at a higher rate (7%) than general acute care hospitals (5%) and accounted for 22% of all immediate jeopardy surveys, with patient rights the most commonly cited deficiency. State rates varied widely, with Rhode Island, New Jersey, Oregon and Colorado showing the highest rates of immediate jeopardy per 100 hospitals surveyed, against a national rate of 25.9.