About Family Hospice
Hospice overview and quality summary
Family Hospice is a nonprofit hospice care provider in Erie, PA, serving patients and families in Erie County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 1996, Family Hospice has provided 30 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.
Family Hospice serves an average of 40 patients per day, covering 30 ZIP codes across its service area. 66% of care is delivered in patients' homes, consistent with the hospice philosophy of enabling comfort care in familiar surroundings.
Family Hospice 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 Erie, PA, 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
Family Hospice 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 Family Hospice among the higher-rated hospice providers serving families in Erie, PA.
Emotional & Spiritual Support
How well the hospice team provided emotional and spiritual support
92% 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
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
80% of caregivers gave Family 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
87% of caregivers gave Family 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
80% of caregivers gave Family 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
84% of caregivers gave Family 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
87% of caregivers gave Family 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
87% of caregivers gave Family 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
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
Family 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.
50.1% of Family Hospice's patients received visits from the hospice team in their final days of life, consistent with the national average of 47.9%. Presence during the final days reflects the hospice's commitment to supporting families when it matters most.
Visits Near Death
Patients with visits in last 3 days of life
90.6%
Natl: 89.5%
Nurse Care Minutes
Average nurse care minutes per routine home care day
14.6
Natl: 13.4
Weekend Nursing
Percentage of skilled nursing minutes on weekends
9.9%
Natl: 9.2%
Gaps in Nursing Visits
Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits
31.6%
Natl: 55.4%
Early Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive within 3 days
8.1%
Natl: 7.2%
Late Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive after enrollment
43.2%
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
2.7%
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
$8,045
Natl: $16,971
Patient Population
Primary diagnoses of hospice patients
Family Hospice's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with cancer (42%), followed by dementia (30%), cardiovascular disease (12%), other conditions (9%), respiratory disease (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
Family Hospice delivers 66% of its care in patients' homes, with 24% in skilled nursing settings, 6% in assisted living settings, 4% in nursing facility settings. The hospice serves an average of 40 patients per day.
Patient's Home
Skilled Nursing
Assisted Living
Nursing Facility
Doctors at Family Hospice
20 affiliated physicians
Dr. David Kruszewski, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Anthony Ignocheck, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Philip Cacchione, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Brian Patton, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Luke Nientimp, DO
Internal Medicine
Dr. Zulfiqar Hussain, MD
Hematology
Dr. Eric Milie, DO
Internal Medicine
Dr. Matthew Wasielewski, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Francis Foti, DO
Family Practice
Dr. James Gade, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Cassie Harrington, MD
Family Practice
Dr. David Lesseski, DO
Family Practice
+ 8 more physicians
Dr. David Seastone, DO
Internal Medicine
Dr. Jan Rothman, MD
Hematology/oncology
Dr. Julie Wehrer, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Daniel Barbero, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Jeffery Hover, DO
Internal Medicine
Dr. Ryan Hancox, DO
Family Practice
Dr. David Hutzel, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Robert Geiger, DO
Family Practice
Patient Reviews
Reviews and ratings from patients
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Family Hospice
What is the CMS rating for Family Hospice?
Family Hospice 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 Family Hospice primarily treat?
Family Hospice's patient population includes cancer (42%), dementia (30%), cardiovascular disease (12%), other conditions (9%), respiratory disease (7%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.
Where does Family Hospice provide care?
Family Hospice provides care in patient's home (66%), skilled nursing (24%), assisted living (6%), nursing facility (4%).
How large is Family Hospice?
Family Hospice serves an average of 40 patients per day and covers 30 ZIP codes in its service area.
How many doctors are affiliated with Family Hospice?
20 physicians are affiliated with Family Hospice.
Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·