About Firsthealth Hospice
Hospice overview and quality summary
Firsthealth Hospice is a nonprofit hospice care provider in West End, NC, serving patients and families in Moore County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 1988, Firsthealth Hospice has provided 38 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.
Firsthealth Hospice serves an average of 159 patients per day, covering 76 ZIP codes across its service area. 68% of care is delivered in patients' homes, consistent with the hospice philosophy of enabling comfort care in familiar surroundings.
Firsthealth 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 West End, 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
Excellent
CMS CAHPS Hospice Star Rating
Firsthealth 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 Firsthealth Hospice among the higher-rated hospice providers serving families in West End, NC.
Emotional & Spiritual Support
How well the hospice team provided emotional and spiritual support
94% of caregivers gave Firsthealth 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
94% of caregivers gave Firsthealth 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
76% 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
86% of caregivers gave Firsthealth 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
85% of caregivers gave Firsthealth 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
78% of caregivers gave Firsthealth 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
90% of caregivers gave Firsthealth 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
94% of caregivers gave Firsthealth 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
99.8%
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
99.5%
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
99.6%
Natl: 91.6%
Hospice Care Index
Composite quality score with 10 sub-measures
Overall HCI Score
National average: 8.8/10
Firsthealth 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.
70.3% of Firsthealth 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
97.7%
Natl: 89.5%
Nurse Care Minutes
Average nurse care minutes per routine home care day
9.8
Natl: 13.4
Weekend Nursing
Percentage of skilled nursing minutes on weekends
8.9%
Natl: 9.2%
Gaps in Nursing Visits
Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits
28.8%
Natl: 55.4%
Early Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive within 3 days
5.5%
Natl: 7.2%
Late Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive after enrollment
40%
Natl: 40%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 1)
Hospice-to-acute-care transitions near death
3.4%
Natl: 8%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 2)
Acute care admissions near death
0%
Natl: 2.3%
CHC/GIP Days
Continuous home care & general inpatient days as share of total
2.9%
Natl: 0.6%
Per-Beneficiary Spending
Average Medicare spending per hospice beneficiary
$12,591
Natl: $16,971
Patient Population
Primary diagnoses of hospice patients
Firsthealth Hospice's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with cancer (28%), followed by stroke (21%), other conditions (21%), cardiovascular disease (11%), dementia (10%), respiratory disease (10%).
Care Settings
Where hospice care is delivered
Firsthealth Hospice delivers 68% of its care in patients' homes, with 15% in skilled nursing settings, 13% in assisted living settings, 4% in inpatient hospice settings. The hospice serves an average of 159 patients per day.
Patient's Home
Skilled Nursing
Assisted Living
Inpatient Hospice
Doctors at Firsthealth Hospice
20 affiliated physicians
Dr. Julie Jones, MD
Hospitalist
Dr. Charles Kuzma, MD
Hematology/oncology
Dr. Walter Morris, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Aaron Gavett
Hospitalist
Dr. Michael Gwinn, MD
Physical Medicine And Rehabilitation
Dr. Christina Dolack, DO
General Practice
Dr. William Johnstone
Family Practice
Dr. David Hipp, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Michael Daley, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Michael Sundborg, MD
Gynecological Oncology
Dr. Jerzy Sopala, MD
Hospitalist
Dr. Padiwath Ung, MD
Internal Medicine
+ 8 more physicians
Dr. Kathleen Letizia, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Sachin Mody, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Joel Pieper, MD
Physical Medicine And Rehabilitation
Dr. Rajan Mitchell, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Robert Deucher, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Greg Blakely, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Amie Collins, MD
General Practice
Dr. Jason Van Eyk, MD
Internal Medicine
Patient Reviews
Reviews and ratings from patients
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Firsthealth Hospice
What is the CMS rating for Firsthealth Hospice?
Firsthealth 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 Firsthealth Hospice primarily treat?
Firsthealth Hospice's patient population includes cancer (28%), stroke (21%), other conditions (21%), cardiovascular disease (11%), dementia (10%), respiratory disease (10%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.
Where does Firsthealth Hospice provide care?
Firsthealth Hospice provides care in patient's home (68%), skilled nursing (15%), assisted living (13%), inpatient hospice (4%).
How large is Firsthealth Hospice?
Firsthealth Hospice serves an average of 159 patients per day and covers 76 ZIP codes in its service area.
How many doctors are affiliated with Firsthealth Hospice?
20 physicians are affiliated with Firsthealth Hospice.
Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·