About Everystep
Hospice overview and quality summary
Everystep is an hospice care provider in Des Moines, IA, serving patients and families in Polk County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 1983, Everystep has provided 43 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.
Everystep serves an average of 172 patients per day, covering 159 ZIP codes across its service area. 54% of care is delivered in patients' homes, consistent with the hospice philosophy of enabling comfort care in familiar surroundings.
Everystep 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 Des Moines, 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
Very Good
CMS CAHPS Hospice Star Rating
Everystep 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 Everystep among the higher-rated hospice providers serving families in Des Moines, IA.
Emotional & Spiritual Support
How well the hospice team provided emotional and spiritual support
93% of caregivers gave Everystep 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
92% 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
82% 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
80% of caregivers gave Everystep 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
77% 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
86% of caregivers gave Everystep 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
90% of caregivers gave Everystep 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
99.7%
Natl: 97.4%
Opioid Bowel Regimen
Patients on opioids who were offered a bowel regimen
99.5%
Natl: 93.2%
Composite Process Score
Composite measure of all hospice care process quality measures
99.6%
Natl: 91.6%
Hospice Care Index
Composite quality score with 10 sub-measures
Overall HCI Score
National average: 8.8/10
Everystep'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.
56.2% of Everystep'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
93%
Natl: 89.5%
Nurse Care Minutes
Average nurse care minutes per routine home care day
13.6
Natl: 13.4
Weekend Nursing
Percentage of skilled nursing minutes on weekends
5.6%
Natl: 9.2%
Gaps in Nursing Visits
Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits
49.3%
Natl: 55.4%
Early Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive within 3 days
5%
Natl: 7.2%
Late Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive after enrollment
48.5%
Natl: 40%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 1)
Hospice-to-acute-care transitions near death
4.5%
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
1.9%
Natl: 0.6%
Per-Beneficiary Spending
Average Medicare spending per hospice beneficiary
$12,615
Natl: $16,971
Patient Population
Primary diagnoses of hospice patients
Everystep's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with cancer (39%), followed by other conditions (17%), cardiovascular disease (16%), dementia (12%), respiratory disease (11%), stroke (7%). While cancer has historically been the most common hospice diagnosis, the proportion of non-cancer patients has grown substantially over the past decade.
Care Settings
Where hospice care is delivered
Everystep delivers 54% of its care in patients' homes, with 30% in nursing facility settings, 9% in assisted living settings, 2% in inpatient hospice settings, 1% in hospital settings. The hospice serves an average of 172 patients per day.
Patient's Home
Nursing Facility
Assisted Living
Inpatient Hospice
Hospital
Doctors at Everystep
20 affiliated physicians
Dr. Alva Yoder, NP
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Scott Hanson, DO
Geriatric Medicine
Dr. Barbara Masters
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Gina Perri, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Brian Quinn, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Amy Poncelow
Physician Assistant
Dr. Daniel Miller, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Desire Gijima, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Amy Wood
Physician Assistant
Dr. Benjamin Hicks, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Jonathan Suddarth, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Bradley Lair, MD
Hematology/oncology
+ 8 more physicians
Dr. Stephanie Perkins Mahan, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Julianne Carson-hem
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Kevin Deregnier, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Daniel Buroker, MD
Medical Oncology
Dr. Savannah Marker, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Kathleen Willcox, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Lindsay Miklo
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Miranda Gebhart
Nurse Practitioner
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 IA
Mercyone Hospice
Non-Profit · 3 mi away
500 Sw 7th St Ste 104, Des Moines, IA 50319
(515) 643-8383
St Croix Hospice
For-Profit · 7 mi away
1555 Se Delaware Suite Q, Ankeny, IA 50021
(515) 276-2700
Wesleylife Hospice
Non-Profit · 10 mi away
4328 114th Street, Urbandale, IA 50322
(515) 271-6777
Unitypoint Hospice
Non-Profit · 10 mi away
11333 Aurora Avenue, Urbandale, IA 50322
(515) 557-3100
Hospice Of The Midwest, Llc
For-Profit · 10 mi away
9249 North Park Drive, Johnston, IA 50131
(515) 218-2143
Care Initiatives Hospice - West Des Moines
Other · 14 mi away
7055 Vista Drive, West Des Moines, IA 50266
(515) 223-3813
Find Hospice Care in Nearby Cities
Browse hospice providers in surrounding areas
Frequently Asked Questions
About Everystep
What is the CMS rating for Everystep?
Everystep 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 Everystep primarily treat?
Everystep's patient population includes cancer (39%), other conditions (17%), cardiovascular disease (16%), dementia (12%), respiratory disease (11%), stroke (7%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.
Where does Everystep provide care?
Everystep provides care in patient's home (54%), nursing facility (30%), assisted living (9%), inpatient hospice (2%), hospital (1%).
How large is Everystep?
Everystep serves an average of 172 patients per day and covers 159 ZIP codes in its service area.
How many doctors are affiliated with Everystep?
20 physicians are affiliated with Everystep.
Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·