About Essence Of Life Hospice
Hospice overview and quality summary
Essence Of Life Hospice is an hospice care provider in Amana, IA, serving patients and families in Iowa County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 2007, Essence Of Life Hospice has provided 19 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.
Essence Of Life Hospice serves an average of 61 patients per day, covering 63 ZIP codes across its service area. 25% of care is delivered in patients' homes, consistent with the hospice philosophy of enabling comfort care in familiar surroundings.
Essence Of Life Hospice has earned a 5-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 Amana, 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
Excellent
CMS CAHPS Hospice Star Rating
Essence Of Life Hospice has earned a 5-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 Essence Of Life Hospice among the higher-rated hospice providers serving families in Amana, IA.
Emotional & Spiritual Support
How well the hospice team provided emotional and spiritual support
94% of caregivers gave Essence Of Life Hospice 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
97% of caregivers gave Essence Of Life Hospice a top rating for treated with respect, above the national average of 90%.
Help with Symptoms
How well the hospice team managed pain and other symptoms
82% of caregivers gave Essence Of Life Hospice a top rating for help with symptoms, above the national average of 74%.
Team Communication
How well the hospice team communicated with the family
89% of caregivers gave Essence Of Life Hospice a top rating for team communication, above the national average of 81%.
Getting Timely Care
Whether the patient received help as soon as it was needed
84% of caregivers gave Essence Of Life Hospice 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
88% of caregivers gave Essence Of Life Hospice a top rating for training for family caregivers, above the national average of 75%.
Overall Rating (9-10)
Percentage of caregivers rating the hospice 9 or 10 out of 10
91% of caregivers gave Essence Of Life Hospice 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
92% of caregivers gave Essence Of Life Hospice 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
99.2%
Natl: 98.3%
Pain Screening
Patients screened for pain upon hospice admission
95.8%
Natl: 98.3%
Comprehensive Pain Assessment
Patients with pain who received a comprehensive pain assessment
99.2%
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
81.0%
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
86.8%
Natl: 91.6%
Hospice Care Index
Composite quality score with 10 sub-measures
Overall HCI Score
National average: 8.8/10
Essence Of Life 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.
71.5% of Essence Of Life 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
94.2%
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
5.8%
Natl: 9.2%
Gaps in Nursing Visits
Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits
20%
Natl: 55.4%
Early Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive within 3 days
2.9%
Natl: 7.2%
Late Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive after enrollment
25%
Natl: 40%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 1)
Hospice-to-acute-care transitions near death
1.5%
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
0.1%
Natl: 0.6%
Per-Beneficiary Spending
Average Medicare spending per hospice beneficiary
$10,210
Natl: $16,971
Patient Population
Primary diagnoses of hospice patients
Essence Of Life Hospice's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with other conditions (25%), followed by dementia (24%), cardiovascular disease (23%), cancer (19%), respiratory disease (6%), stroke (5%).
Care Settings
Where hospice care is delivered
Essence Of Life Hospice delivers 25% of its care in patients' homes, with 66% in nursing facility settings, 5% in assisted living settings, 2% in hospital 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 61 patients per day.
Nursing Facility
Patient's Home
Assisted Living
Hospital
Doctors at Essence Of Life Hospice
20 affiliated physicians
Dr. Scott Eberly, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Clete Younger, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Kathryn Upah, PA
Physician Assistant
Dr. Brian Meeker, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Susan Casady, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Michelle Malloy, NP
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Jennifer Driscoll
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Brian Heineman, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Sara Jones, NP
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Stephanie Healy
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Clayton Schuett, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Cailey Anderson, NP
Nurse Practitioner
+ 8 more physicians
Dr. Angela Fults, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Samantha Ryan
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Britton Lerch
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Ronald Dose, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Brandon Phelps, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Rachel Taves, NP
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Erin Balk, NP
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Benjamin Miller, DO
Family Practice
Patient Reviews
Reviews and ratings from patients
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Essence Of Life Hospice
What is the CMS rating for Essence Of Life Hospice?
Essence Of Life Hospice has a 5-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 Essence Of Life Hospice primarily treat?
Essence Of Life Hospice's patient population includes other conditions (25%), dementia (24%), cardiovascular disease (23%), cancer (19%), respiratory disease (6%), stroke (5%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.
Where does Essence Of Life Hospice provide care?
Essence Of Life Hospice provides care in nursing facility (66%), patient's home (25%), assisted living (5%), hospital (2%).
How large is Essence Of Life Hospice?
Essence Of Life Hospice serves an average of 61 patients per day and covers 63 ZIP codes in its service area.
How many doctors are affiliated with Essence Of Life Hospice?
20 physicians are affiliated with Essence Of Life Hospice.
Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·