About Emerald Coast Hospice
Hospice overview and quality summary
Emerald Coast Hospice is a for-profit hospice care provider in Panama City, FL, serving patients and families in Bay County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 1992, Emerald Coast Hospice has provided 34 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.
Emerald Coast Hospice serves an average of 918 patients per day, covering 97 ZIP codes across its service area. 58% of care is delivered in patients' homes, consistent with the hospice philosophy of enabling comfort care in familiar surroundings.
CMS has assigned Emerald Coast Hospice 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. 20 physicians are affiliated with this hospice.
When choosing hospice care in Panama City, FL, 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
Emerald Coast Hospice 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 Panama City, FL compare hospice providers.
Emotional & Spiritual Support
How well the hospice team provided emotional and spiritual support
89% 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
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
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
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
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
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
99.8%
Natl: 98.3%
Pain Screening
Patients screened for pain upon hospice admission
99.6%
Natl: 98.3%
Comprehensive Pain Assessment
Patients with pain who received a comprehensive pain assessment
99.5%
Natl: 94.8%
Dyspnea Screening
Patients screened for shortness of breath upon admission
99.9%
Natl: 99.0%
Dyspnea Treatment
Patients with dyspnea who received treatment within 24 hours
99.6%
Natl: 97.4%
Opioid Bowel Regimen
Patients on opioids who were offered a bowel regimen
99.0%
Natl: 93.2%
Composite Process Score
Composite measure of all hospice care process quality measures
98.7%
Natl: 91.6%
Hospice Care Index
Composite quality score with 10 sub-measures
Overall HCI Score
National average: 8.8/10
Emerald Coast Hospice'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.
67.2% of Emerald Coast 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
94.8%
Natl: 89.5%
Nurse Care Minutes
Average nurse care minutes per routine home care day
11.6
Natl: 13.4
Weekend Nursing
Percentage of skilled nursing minutes on weekends
6.6%
Natl: 9.2%
Gaps in Nursing Visits
Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits
25.7%
Natl: 55.4%
Early Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive within 3 days
7.4%
Natl: 7.2%
Late Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive after enrollment
40.7%
Natl: 40%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 1)
Hospice-to-acute-care transitions near death
11.6%
Natl: 8%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 2)
Acute care admissions near death
1.2%
Natl: 2.3%
CHC/GIP Days
Continuous home care & general inpatient days as share of total
0.2%
Natl: 0.6%
Per-Beneficiary Spending
Average Medicare spending per hospice beneficiary
$19,580
Natl: $16,971
Patient Population
Primary diagnoses of hospice patients
Emerald Coast Hospice's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with dementia (28%), followed by cardiovascular disease (24%), cancer (19%), respiratory disease (14%), other conditions (11%), stroke (6%). Dementia care requires specialized communication techniques and behavioral support, which experienced hospice teams are trained to provide.
Care Settings
Where hospice care is delivered
Emerald Coast Hospice delivers 58% of its care in patients' homes, with 26% in assisted living settings, 11% in nursing facility settings, 5% in skilled nursing settings. The hospice serves an average of 918 patients per day.
Patient's Home
Assisted Living
Nursing Facility
Skilled Nursing
Doctors at Emerald Coast Hospice
20 affiliated physicians
Dr. Jean-edson Belcourt, MD
Emergency Medicine
Dr. John Byrd, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Richard Christopher, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Jared Barber, MD
Family Practice
Dr. James Clemmons, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Steven Donchey, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Michael Norman, DO
Internal Medicine
Dr. Gerald Skipper, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Mitchell Dugas, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Murali Krishna Maddipati, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Liaqat Hayat, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Tareq Saghir, MD
Hospitalist
+ 8 more physicians
Dr. Dzung Nguyen, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Robert Obeid, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Yuan Wang, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Joseph Foust, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Ashraf Khan, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Travis Larson, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Jigish Patel, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Indumathi Christopher, MD
Family Practice
Patient Reviews
Reviews and ratings from patients
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Emerald Coast Hospice
What is the CMS rating for Emerald Coast Hospice?
Emerald Coast Hospice 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 Emerald Coast Hospice primarily treat?
Emerald Coast Hospice's patient population includes dementia (28%), cardiovascular disease (24%), cancer (19%), respiratory disease (14%), other conditions (11%), stroke (6%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.
Where does Emerald Coast Hospice provide care?
Emerald Coast Hospice provides care in patient's home (58%), assisted living (26%), nursing facility (11%), skilled nursing (5%).
How large is Emerald Coast Hospice?
Emerald Coast Hospice serves an average of 918 patients per day and covers 97 ZIP codes in its service area.
How many doctors are affiliated with Emerald Coast Hospice?
20 physicians are affiliated with Emerald Coast Hospice.
Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·