About Blue Water Hospice
Hospice overview and quality summary
Blue Water Hospice is a nonprofit hospice care provider in Port Huron, MI, serving patients and families in St. Clair County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 1991, Blue Water Hospice has provided 35 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.
Blue Water Hospice serves an average of 29 patients per day, covering 50 ZIP codes across its service area. 76% of care is delivered in patients' homes, consistent with the hospice philosophy of enabling comfort care in familiar surroundings.
Blue Water Hospice has earned a 4-star CMS quality rating based on caregiver survey results, reflecting strong satisfaction across communication, symptom management, and emotional support. The facility's Hospice Care Index score is 9 out of 10, a composite measure of care quality and efficiency. 7 physicians are affiliated with this hospice.
When choosing hospice care in Port Huron, MI, consider quality ratings, caregiver satisfaction surveys, the hospice's experience with your loved one's condition, and the service area. Since hospice care is typically delivered in the home, the responsiveness and availability of the care team are critical factors.
At a Glance
Caregiver Satisfaction
CAHPS Hospice Survey results from bereaved family caregivers
Very Good
CMS CAHPS Hospice Star Rating
Blue Water Hospice has earned a 4-star quality rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), based on the CAHPS Hospice Survey of bereaved family caregivers. This rating reflects above-average satisfaction across emotional support, symptom management, team communication, and respect. This places Blue Water Hospice among the higher-rated hospice providers serving families in Port Huron, MI.
Emotional & Spiritual Support
How well the hospice team provided emotional and spiritual support
94% of caregivers gave Blue Water Hospice a top rating for emotional & spiritual support, above the national average of 90%.
Treated with Respect
Whether the patient was treated with dignity and respect
94% of caregivers gave Blue Water Hospice a top rating for treated with respect, above the national average of 90%.
Help with Symptoms
How well the hospice team managed pain and other symptoms
74% of caregivers gave a top rating for help with symptoms, consistent with the national average of 74%.
Team Communication
How well the hospice team communicated with the family
86% of caregivers gave Blue Water Hospice a top rating for team communication, above the national average of 81%.
Getting Timely Care
Whether the patient received help as soon as it was needed
83% of caregivers gave Blue Water Hospice a top rating for getting timely care, above the national average of 77%.
Training for Family Caregivers
Whether sufficient training was provided to care for the patient
74% of caregivers gave a top rating for training for family caregivers, consistent with the national average of 75%.
Overall Rating (9-10)
Percentage of caregivers rating the hospice 9 or 10 out of 10
85% of caregivers gave Blue Water Hospice a top rating for overall rating (9-10), above the national average of 81%.
Would Recommend
Percentage of caregivers who would definitely recommend this hospice
93% of caregivers gave Blue Water Hospice a top rating for would recommend, above the national average of 84%.
Source: CMS CAHPS Hospice Survey · Vertical markers indicate national average
Quality Process Measures
CMS hospice care quality indicators vs. national benchmarks
Treatment Preferences Documented
Patients whose treatment preferences were discussed and documented
100.0%
Natl: 99.5%
Beliefs & Values Addressed
Patients whose beliefs and values were addressed in the plan of care
100.0%
Natl: 98.3%
Pain Screening
Patients screened for pain upon hospice admission
99.4%
Natl: 98.3%
Comprehensive Pain Assessment
Patients with pain who received a comprehensive pain assessment
99.6%
Natl: 94.8%
Dyspnea Screening
Patients screened for shortness of breath upon admission
99.1%
Natl: 99.0%
Dyspnea Treatment
Patients with dyspnea who received treatment within 24 hours
95.9%
Natl: 97.4%
Opioid Bowel Regimen
Patients on opioids who were offered a bowel regimen
100.0%
Natl: 93.2%
Composite Process Score
Composite measure of all hospice care process quality measures
96.2%
Natl: 91.6%
Hospice Care Index
Composite quality score with 10 sub-measures
Overall HCI Score
National average: 8.8/10
Blue Water Hospice's Hospice Care Index (HCI) score is 9 out of 10, above the national average of 8.8. This composite score reflects stronger-than-average performance across measures of nursing continuity, care transitions, and presence near death.
76.4% of Blue Water Hospice's patients received visits from the hospice team in their final days of life, significantly above the national average of 47.9%. This is one of the most meaningful quality indicators — having the hospice team present during the final hours provides critical comfort to both patients and families.
Visits Near Death
Patients with visits in last 3 days of life
96%
Natl: 89.5%
Nurse Care Minutes
Average nurse care minutes per routine home care day
25.5
Natl: 13.4
Weekend Nursing
Percentage of skilled nursing minutes on weekends
22.1%
Natl: 9.2%
Gaps in Nursing Visits
Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits
36.6%
Natl: 55.4%
Early Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive within 3 days
17.1%
Natl: 7.2%
Late Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive after enrollment
20%
Natl: 40%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 1)
Hospice-to-acute-care transitions near death
2.9%
Natl: 8%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 2)
Acute care admissions near death
2.9%
Natl: 2.3%
CHC/GIP Days
Continuous home care & general inpatient days as share of total
0.1%
Natl: 0.6%
Per-Beneficiary Spending
Average Medicare spending per hospice beneficiary
$6,698
Natl: $16,971
Patient Population
Primary diagnoses of hospice patients
Blue Water Hospice's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with cancer (35%), followed by cardiovascular disease (20%), dementia (17%), other conditions (17%), respiratory disease (9%). While cancer has historically been the most common hospice diagnosis, the proportion of non-cancer patients has grown substantially over the past decade.
Care Settings
Where hospice care is delivered
Blue Water Hospice delivers 76% of its care in patients' homes, with 6% in assisted living settings, 2% in inpatient hospice settings, 1% in skilled nursing settings. The hospice serves an average of 29 patients per day.
Patient's Home
Assisted Living
Inpatient Hospice
Skilled Nursing
Doctors at Blue Water Hospice
7 affiliated physicians
Patient Reviews
Reviews and ratings from patients
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Blue Water Hospice
What is the CMS rating for Blue Water Hospice?
Blue Water Hospice has a 4-star quality rating from CMS based on the CAHPS Hospice Survey of bereaved family caregivers, which evaluates satisfaction across areas including symptom management, communication, and emotional support.
What conditions does Blue Water Hospice primarily treat?
Blue Water Hospice's patient population includes cancer (35%), cardiovascular disease (20%), dementia (17%), other conditions (17%), respiratory disease (9%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.
Where does Blue Water Hospice provide care?
Blue Water Hospice provides care in patient's home (76%), assisted living (6%), inpatient hospice (2%), skilled nursing (1%).
How large is Blue Water Hospice?
Blue Water Hospice serves an average of 29 patients per day and covers 50 ZIP codes in its service area.
How many doctors are affiliated with Blue Water Hospice?
7 physicians are affiliated with Blue Water Hospice.
Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·