About Carolina Caring Inc
Hospice overview and quality summary
Carolina Caring Inc is a nonprofit hospice care provider in Newton, NC, serving patients and families in Catawba County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 1989, Carolina Caring Inc has provided 37 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.
Carolina Caring Inc serves an average of 534 patients per day, covering 117 ZIP codes across its service area. 72% of care is delivered in patients' homes, consistent with the hospice philosophy of enabling comfort care in familiar surroundings.
Carolina Caring Inc 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. 20 physicians are affiliated with this hospice.
When choosing hospice care in Newton, NC, 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
Carolina Caring Inc 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 Carolina Caring Inc among the higher-rated hospice providers serving families in Newton, NC.
Emotional & Spiritual Support
How well the hospice team provided emotional and spiritual support
90% 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
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
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
81% of caregivers gave Carolina Caring Inc 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
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
84% of caregivers gave Carolina Caring Inc 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
88% of caregivers gave Carolina Caring Inc 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
99.9%
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
99.8%
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
99.8%
Natl: 91.6%
Hospice Care Index
Composite quality score with 10 sub-measures
Overall HCI Score
National average: 8.8/10
Carolina Caring Inc'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.
69.6% of Carolina Caring Inc'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
94.9%
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
6.2%
Natl: 9.2%
Gaps in Nursing Visits
Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits
71.6%
Natl: 55.4%
Early Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive within 3 days
11.7%
Natl: 7.2%
Late Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive after enrollment
29.7%
Natl: 40%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 1)
Hospice-to-acute-care transitions near death
2.7%
Natl: 8%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 2)
Acute care admissions near death
1.5%
Natl: 2.3%
CHC/GIP Days
Continuous home care & general inpatient days as share of total
1.7%
Natl: 0.6%
Per-Beneficiary Spending
Average Medicare spending per hospice beneficiary
$18,926
Natl: $16,971
Patient Population
Primary diagnoses of hospice patients
Carolina Caring Inc's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with other conditions (28%), followed by cancer (18%), cardiovascular disease (17%), dementia (13%), stroke (13%), respiratory disease (11%).
Care Settings
Where hospice care is delivered
Carolina Caring Inc delivers 72% of its care in patients' homes, with 14% in nursing facility settings, 11% in assisted living settings, 2% in inpatient hospice settings, 1% in hospital settings. The hospice serves an average of 534 patients per day.
Patient's Home
Nursing Facility
Assisted Living
Inpatient Hospice
Hospital
Doctors at Carolina Caring Inc
20 affiliated physicians
Dr. Colin Curran, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Thanigaiarsu Thiyagarajan, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Kevin Clark, DO
Emergency Medicine
Dr. Ismo Kaariainen, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Kevin Lopez-shirley, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Sarah Stewart, DO
Hospice/palliative Care
Dr. Scott Sledge, MD
Hospitalist
Dr. Mark Kiefer, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Garland Hughes, MD
Hospitalist
Dr. Angela Regalado, NP
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. John Corder, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Ameet Kumar, MD
Hospitalist
+ 8 more physicians
Dr. Cornelia Kurth-bowen, PA
Physician Assistant
Dr. Pradeep Patel, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Zhanna Bates, DO
Internal Medicine
Dr. Greogory Brooks, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Waseem Ghannam, MD
Family Practice
Dr. James Ho, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Charles Frankhouser, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Tyler Thurman, DO
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 NC
Alexander Hospice
Non-Profit · 20 mi away
50 Lucy Echerd Lane, Taylorsville, NC 28681
(828) 632-5026
Hospice Of Iredell County, Inc
Non-Profit · 25 mi away
2347 Simonton Road, Statesville, NC 28625
(704) 873-4719
Hospice Of Gaston County, Inc
Non-Profit · 26 mi away
258 E Garrison Blvd, Watertown Place, Gastonia, NC 28054
(704) 861-8405
Hospice Cleveland County
Non-Profit · 28 mi away
951 Wendover Heights Drive, Shelby, NC 28150
(704) 487-4677
Amorem
Non-Profit · 29 mi away
902 Kirkwood Street, Nw, Lenoir, NC 28645
(828) 754-0101
Hospice And Palliative Care Of Cabarrus County
Other · 33 mi away
5003 Hospice Lane, Kannapolis, NC 28081
(704) 935-9434
Find Hospice Care in Nearby Cities
Browse hospice providers in surrounding areas
Frequently Asked Questions
About Carolina Caring Inc
What is the CMS rating for Carolina Caring Inc?
Carolina Caring Inc 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 Carolina Caring Inc primarily treat?
Carolina Caring Inc's patient population includes other conditions (28%), cancer (18%), cardiovascular disease (17%), dementia (13%), stroke (13%), respiratory disease (11%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.
Where does Carolina Caring Inc provide care?
Carolina Caring Inc provides care in patient's home (72%), nursing facility (14%), assisted living (11%), inpatient hospice (2%), hospital (1%).
How large is Carolina Caring Inc?
Carolina Caring Inc serves an average of 534 patients per day and covers 117 ZIP codes in its service area.
How many doctors are affiliated with Carolina Caring Inc?
20 physicians are affiliated with Carolina Caring Inc.
Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·