About Care Initiatives Hospice - Cedar Falls
Hospice overview and quality summary
Care Initiatives Hospice - Cedar Falls is an hospice care provider in Cedar Falls, IA, serving patients and families in Black Hawk County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 2009, Care Initiatives Hospice - Cedar Falls has provided 17 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.
Care Initiatives Hospice - Cedar Falls serves an average of 129 patients per day, covering 79 ZIP codes across its service area. 18% of care is delivered in patients' homes, consistent with the hospice philosophy of enabling comfort care in familiar surroundings.
Care Initiatives Hospice - Cedar Falls 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. 20 physicians are affiliated with this hospice.
When choosing hospice care in Cedar Falls, IA, 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
Care Initiatives Hospice - Cedar Falls 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 Care Initiatives Hospice - Cedar Falls among the higher-rated hospice providers serving families in Cedar Falls, IA.
Emotional & Spiritual Support
How well the hospice team provided emotional and spiritual support
93% of caregivers gave Care Initiatives Hospice - Cedar Falls 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
91% of caregivers gave a top rating for treated with respect, consistent with the national average of 90%.
Help with Symptoms
How well the hospice team managed pain and other symptoms
73% 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
78% of caregivers gave a top rating for team communication, below the national average of 81%.
Getting Timely Care
Whether the patient received help as soon as it was needed
73% of caregivers gave a top rating for getting timely care, below the national average of 77%.
Training for Family Caregivers
Whether sufficient training was provided to care for the patient
77% 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
80% of caregivers gave a top rating for overall rating (9-10), consistent with the national average of 81%.
Would Recommend
Percentage of caregivers who would definitely recommend this hospice
84% of caregivers gave a top rating for would recommend, consistent with 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
99.8%
Natl: 98.3%
Pain Screening
Patients screened for pain upon hospice admission
97.7%
Natl: 98.3%
Comprehensive Pain Assessment
Patients with pain who received a comprehensive pain assessment
100.0%
Natl: 94.8%
Dyspnea Screening
Patients screened for shortness of breath upon admission
100.0%
Natl: 99.0%
Dyspnea Treatment
Patients with dyspnea who received treatment within 24 hours
96.1%
Natl: 97.4%
Opioid Bowel Regimen
Patients on opioids who were offered a bowel regimen
99.2%
Natl: 93.2%
Composite Process Score
Composite measure of all hospice care process quality measures
96.6%
Natl: 91.6%
Hospice Care Index
Composite quality score with 10 sub-measures
Overall HCI Score
National average: 8.8/10
Care Initiatives Hospice - Cedar Falls'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.
70.2% of Care Initiatives Hospice - Cedar Falls'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
97.4%
Natl: 89.5%
Nurse Care Minutes
Average nurse care minutes per routine home care day
13.2
Natl: 13.4
Weekend Nursing
Percentage of skilled nursing minutes on weekends
4.4%
Natl: 9.2%
Gaps in Nursing Visits
Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits
43.9%
Natl: 55.4%
Early Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive within 3 days
3.1%
Natl: 7.2%
Late Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive after enrollment
61.1%
Natl: 40%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 1)
Hospice-to-acute-care transitions near death
5.3%
Natl: 8%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 2)
Acute care admissions near death
3.1%
Natl: 2.3%
CHC/GIP Days
Continuous home care & general inpatient days as share of total
0.3%
Natl: 0.6%
Per-Beneficiary Spending
Average Medicare spending per hospice beneficiary
$15,390
Natl: $16,971
Patient Population
Primary diagnoses of hospice patients
Care Initiatives Hospice - Cedar Falls's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with cardiovascular disease (33%), followed by dementia (25%), cancer (19%), other conditions (14%), respiratory disease (7%), stroke (5%). Heart failure is one of the leading diagnoses for hospice admission nationwide, and a high proportion of cardiac patients is typical of most hospice programs.
Care Settings
Where hospice care is delivered
Care Initiatives Hospice - Cedar Falls delivers 18% of its care in patients' homes, with 73% in nursing facility settings, 8% in assisted living settings. The significant proportion of facility-based care may reflect patients requiring higher levels of medical support or those without available home caregivers. The hospice serves an average of 129 patients per day.
Nursing Facility
Patient's Home
Assisted Living
Doctors at Care Initiatives Hospice - Cedar Falls
20 affiliated physicians
Dr. Jodi Bangasser, NP
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Clinton Cummings, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Molly Olson, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Amanda Olberding, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Gregory Vandigo, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Craig Gibson, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Lonny Miller, MD
Emergency Medicine
Dr. Mordechai Lederman, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Darron Cutler, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Scot Christiansen, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Kathleen Haverkamp, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Keith Hansen, DO
Family Practice
+ 8 more physicians
Dr. Toni Lauffer, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Nikolas May, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Michelle Craig, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Suraj Pazhoor, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Amber Kramer
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Gregory Ogaard, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Colin Deford, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Laura Brunsen, MD
Family Practice
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Care Initiatives Hospice - Cedar Falls
What is the CMS rating for Care Initiatives Hospice - Cedar Falls?
Care Initiatives Hospice - Cedar Falls 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 Care Initiatives Hospice - Cedar Falls primarily treat?
Care Initiatives Hospice - Cedar Falls's patient population includes cardiovascular disease (33%), dementia (25%), cancer (19%), other conditions (14%), respiratory disease (7%), stroke (5%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.
Where does Care Initiatives Hospice - Cedar Falls provide care?
Care Initiatives Hospice - Cedar Falls provides care in nursing facility (73%), patient's home (18%), assisted living (8%).
How large is Care Initiatives Hospice - Cedar Falls?
Care Initiatives Hospice - Cedar Falls serves an average of 129 patients per day and covers 79 ZIP codes in its service area.
How many doctors are affiliated with Care Initiatives Hospice - Cedar Falls?
20 physicians are affiliated with Care Initiatives Hospice - Cedar Falls.
Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·