About Caris Healthcare
Hospice overview and quality summary
Caris Healthcare is a for-profit hospice care provider in Knoxville, TN, serving patients and families in Knox County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 2004, Caris Healthcare has provided 22 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.
Caris Healthcare serves an average of 226 patients per day, covering 93 ZIP codes across its service area. 37% of care is delivered in patients' homes, consistent with the hospice philosophy of enabling comfort care in familiar surroundings.
Caris Healthcare 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 10 out of 10, a composite measure of care quality and efficiency. 10 physicians are affiliated with this hospice.
When choosing hospice care in Knoxville, TN, 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
Caris Healthcare 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 Caris Healthcare among the higher-rated hospice providers serving families in Knoxville, TN.
Emotional & Spiritual Support
How well the hospice team provided emotional and spiritual support
93% of caregivers gave Caris Healthcare 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
70% of caregivers gave a top rating for help with symptoms, below the national average of 74%.
Team Communication
How well the hospice team communicated with the family
80% 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
79% 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
73% 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
82% 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
86% 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'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.
74.4% of Caris Healthcare'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
94.6%
Natl: 89.5%
Nurse Care Minutes
Average nurse care minutes per routine home care day
11.1
Natl: 13.4
Weekend Nursing
Percentage of skilled nursing minutes on weekends
10.2%
Natl: 9.2%
Gaps in Nursing Visits
Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits
59.7%
Natl: 55.4%
Early Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive within 3 days
9.9%
Natl: 7.2%
Late Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive after enrollment
40.4%
Natl: 40%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 1)
Hospice-to-acute-care transitions near death
10.5%
Natl: 8%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 2)
Acute care admissions near death
0.6%
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
$15,963
Natl: $16,971
Patient Population
Primary diagnoses of hospice patients
Caris Healthcare's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with dementia (35%), followed by cardiovascular disease (24%), cancer (15%), other conditions (13%), respiratory disease (12%), stroke (5%). 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 delivers 37% of its care in patients' homes, with 32% in nursing facility settings, 31% 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 226 patients per day.
Patient's Home
Nursing Facility
Assisted Living
Doctors at Caris Healthcare
10 affiliated physicians
Dr. Deaver Shattuck, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Rajeev Gupta, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Joseph Radawi
Emergency Medicine
Dr. Walter Rucker, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Frederick Yarid, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Mohammad Rahman, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Joshua Proffitt, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Bipinchandra Patel, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Susan Reyes
Internal Medicine
Dr. Robin Huskey, MD
Family Practice
Patient Reviews
Reviews and ratings from patients
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Hospice care in TN
Tennova Healthcare Hospice
For-Profit · 6 mi away
1225 E. Weisgarber Road, Suite 380s, Knoxville, TN 37909
(865) 925-5500
Covenant Hospice
Non-Profit · 6 mi away
3001 Lake Brook Blvd Suite 101, Knoxville, TN 37909
(865) 374-0600
University Of Tn Medical Center Home Care Services
Other · 12 mi away
4435 Valley View Drive, Suite 104, Knoxville, TN 37917
(865) 544-6222
Amedisys Hospice An Adventa Company
For-Profit · 13 mi away
1420 Dutch Valley Road Suite C, Knoxville, TN 37918
(865) 689-7123
Blount Memorial Hospital Hospice
Government · 18 mi away
1095 East Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville, TN 37804
(865) 977-5702
Suncrest Hospice
Other · 39 mi away
903 Main Street, New Tazewell, TN 37825
(423) 626-4272
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Caris Healthcare
What is the CMS rating for Caris Healthcare?
Caris Healthcare 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 Caris Healthcare primarily treat?
Caris Healthcare's patient population includes dementia (35%), cardiovascular disease (24%), cancer (15%), other conditions (13%), respiratory disease (12%), stroke (5%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.
Where does Caris Healthcare provide care?
Caris Healthcare provides care in patient's home (37%), nursing facility (32%), assisted living (31%).
How large is Caris Healthcare?
Caris Healthcare serves an average of 226 patients per day and covers 93 ZIP codes in its service area.
How many doctors are affiliated with Caris Healthcare?
10 physicians are affiliated with Caris Healthcare.
Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·