About Caris Healthcare Columbia
Hospice overview and quality summary
Caris Healthcare Columbia is a for-profit hospice care provider in Columbia, SC, serving patients and families in Richland County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 2008, Caris Healthcare Columbia has provided 18 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.
Caris Healthcare Columbia serves an average of 211 patients per day, covering 179 ZIP codes across its service area. 16% of care is delivered in patients' homes, consistent with the hospice philosophy of enabling comfort care in familiar surroundings.
CMS has assigned Caris Healthcare Columbia a 3-star quality rating based on caregiver survey feedback, indicating average satisfaction with the hospice's care. The facility's Hospice Care Index score is 10 out of 10, a composite measure of care quality and efficiency. 12 physicians are affiliated with this hospice.
When choosing hospice care in Columbia, SC, 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
Average
CMS CAHPS Hospice Star Rating
Caris Healthcare Columbia has received a 3-star quality rating from CMS, based on the CAHPS Hospice Survey. This average rating reflects caregiver satisfaction across communication, symptom management, timely care, and emotional support. CMS publishes these ratings to help families in Columbia, SC compare hospice providers.
Emotional & Spiritual Support
How well the hospice team provided emotional and spiritual support
92% of caregivers gave a top rating for emotional & spiritual support, consistent with the national average of 90%.
Treated with Respect
Whether the patient was treated with dignity and respect
89% 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
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
81% of caregivers gave a top rating for team communication, consistent with the national average of 81%.
Getting Timely Care
Whether the patient received help as soon as it was needed
76% of caregivers gave a top rating for getting timely care, consistent with the national average of 77%.
Training for Family Caregivers
Whether sufficient training was provided to care for the patient
76% 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
85% 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
100.0%
Natl: 98.3%
Pain Screening
Patients screened for pain upon hospice admission
100.0%
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
100.0%
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
100.0%
Natl: 91.6%
Hospice Care Index
Composite quality score with 10 sub-measures
Overall HCI Score
National average: 8.8/10
Caris Healthcare Columbia's Hospice Care Index (HCI) score is 10 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.
63.0% of Caris Healthcare Columbia'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
91.3%
Natl: 89.5%
Nurse Care Minutes
Average nurse care minutes per routine home care day
9.6
Natl: 13.4
Weekend Nursing
Percentage of skilled nursing minutes on weekends
9.8%
Natl: 9.2%
Gaps in Nursing Visits
Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits
71%
Natl: 55.4%
Early Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive within 3 days
6.2%
Natl: 7.2%
Late Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive after enrollment
46.7%
Natl: 40%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 1)
Hospice-to-acute-care transitions near death
10.2%
Natl: 8%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 2)
Acute care admissions near death
2.2%
Natl: 2.3%
CHC/GIP Days
Continuous home care & general inpatient days as share of total
0%
Natl: 0.6%
Per-Beneficiary Spending
Average Medicare spending per hospice beneficiary
$17,912
Natl: $16,971
Patient Population
Primary diagnoses of hospice patients
Caris Healthcare Columbia's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with dementia (38%), followed by cardiovascular disease (22%), cancer (12%), other conditions (11%), respiratory disease (9%), stroke (9%). Dementia care requires specialized communication techniques and behavioral support, which experienced hospice teams are trained to provide.
Care Settings
Where hospice care is delivered
Caris Healthcare Columbia delivers 16% of its care in patients' homes, with 67% in nursing facility settings, 16% in assisted living settings, 1% in skilled nursing 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 211 patients per day.
Nursing Facility
Patient's Home
Assisted Living
Skilled Nursing
Doctors at Caris Healthcare Columbia
12 affiliated physicians
Dr. Lawrence Hill, MD
Urology
Dr. Georgia Lesser, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Zulfiqar Ahmed, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Sean Lynch, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Floyd Cribbs, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Macdonald Dubose, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Michael Faircloth, DO
Family Practice
Dr. John Fleming, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Yvonne Davis, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. David Greenhouse, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Brittany Gusic, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Rajiv Joglekar, MD
Internal Medicine
Patient Reviews
Reviews and ratings from patients
Loading reviews...
Manage This Hospice Profile
Claim your profile to update information, respond to reviews, and showcase your hospice to patients and families.
Claim & Manage ProfileOther Hospice Providers Nearby
Hospice care in SC
Crescent Hospice, Inc
For-Profit · < 1 mi away
1370 Browning Road, Suite 120, Columbia, SC 29210
(803) 732-3274
Prisma Health Hospice Midlands
Other · < 1 mi away
1205 Colonial Life Blvd, Columbia, SC 29210
(803) 296-3100
Pruitthealth Hospice- Columbia
For-Profit · < 1 mi away
240 Stonebridge Drive Suite 302, Columbia, SC 29210
(803) 771-0489
Halcyon Hospice Of Aiken
Other · < 1 mi away
140 Stoneridge Dr Ste 630, Columbia, SC 29210
(803) 758-4099
Compassionate Care Hospice Of South Carolina, Llc
For-Profit · 3 mi away
1900 Ashland Park Ln, West Colimbia, SC 29169
(803) 731-8110
Heart Of Hospice Llc
For-Profit · 6 mi away
7 Technology Circle Suite 200, Columbia, SC 29203
(803) 699-3233
Find Hospice Care in Nearby Cities
Browse hospice providers in surrounding areas
Frequently Asked Questions
About Caris Healthcare Columbia
What is the CMS rating for Caris Healthcare Columbia?
Caris Healthcare Columbia has a 3-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 Caris Healthcare Columbia primarily treat?
Caris Healthcare Columbia's patient population includes dementia (38%), cardiovascular disease (22%), cancer (12%), other conditions (11%), respiratory disease (9%), stroke (9%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.
Where does Caris Healthcare Columbia provide care?
Caris Healthcare Columbia provides care in nursing facility (67%), patient's home (16%), assisted living (16%), skilled nursing (1%).
How large is Caris Healthcare Columbia?
Caris Healthcare Columbia serves an average of 211 patients per day and covers 179 ZIP codes in its service area.
How many doctors are affiliated with Caris Healthcare Columbia?
12 physicians are affiliated with Caris Healthcare Columbia.
Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·