About Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center
Hospice overview and quality summary
Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center is an hospice care provider in La Crosse, WI, serving patients and families in La Crosse County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 2003, Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center has provided 23 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.
Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center serves an average of 73 patients per day, covering 44 ZIP codes across its service area. 55% of care is delivered in patients' homes, consistent with the hospice philosophy of enabling comfort care in familiar surroundings.
CMS has assigned Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center 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 La Crosse, WI, 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
Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center 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 La Crosse, WI compare hospice providers.
Emotional & Spiritual Support
How well the hospice team provided emotional and spiritual support
90% 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
88% 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
68% of caregivers gave a top rating for help with symptoms, below the national average of 74%.
Team Communication
How well the hospice team communicated with the family
77% of caregivers gave a top rating for team communication, below the national average of 81%.
Getting Timely Care
Whether the patient received help as soon as it was needed
74% of caregivers gave a top rating for getting timely care, below the national average of 77%.
Training for Family Caregivers
Whether sufficient training was provided to care for the patient
72% of caregivers gave a top rating for training for family caregivers, below the national average of 75%.
Overall Rating (9-10)
Percentage of caregivers rating the hospice 9 or 10 out of 10
77% of caregivers gave a top rating for overall rating (9-10), below the national average of 81%.
Would Recommend
Percentage of caregivers who would definitely recommend this hospice
82% 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
100.0%
Natl: 98.3%
Pain Screening
Patients screened for pain upon hospice admission
96.5%
Natl: 98.3%
Comprehensive Pain Assessment
Patients with pain who received a comprehensive pain assessment
98.8%
Natl: 94.8%
Dyspnea Screening
Patients screened for shortness of breath upon admission
99.8%
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
98.2%
Natl: 93.2%
Composite Process Score
Composite measure of all hospice care process quality measures
95.5%
Natl: 91.6%
Hospice Care Index
Composite quality score with 10 sub-measures
Overall HCI Score
National average: 8.8/10
Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center'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.
76.1% of Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center'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
95.4%
Natl: 89.5%
Nurse Care Minutes
Average nurse care minutes per routine home care day
16.1
Natl: 13.4
Weekend Nursing
Percentage of skilled nursing minutes on weekends
11.5%
Natl: 9.2%
Gaps in Nursing Visits
Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits
54%
Natl: 55.4%
Early Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive within 3 days
6.4%
Natl: 7.2%
Late Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive after enrollment
27.7%
Natl: 40%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 1)
Hospice-to-acute-care transitions near death
0%
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
0.5%
Natl: 0.6%
Per-Beneficiary Spending
Average Medicare spending per hospice beneficiary
$11,416
Natl: $16,971
Patient Population
Primary diagnoses of hospice patients
Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with cancer (31%), followed by cardiovascular disease (21%), stroke (21%), other conditions (16%), dementia (8%), respiratory disease (5%). 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
Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center delivers 55% of its care in patients' homes, with 23% in skilled nursing settings, 21% in assisted living settings, 1% in hospital settings. The hospice serves an average of 73 patients per day.
Patient's Home
Skilled Nursing
Assisted Living
Hospital
Doctors at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center
20 affiliated physicians
Dr. Naomi Ruiru, NP
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Kjersten Folstad
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Cullen Vos, PA
Physician Assistant
Dr. Devin Wenrich, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Tanya Mudgett
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Stephen Wissink, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Jessica Kuester, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Theresa Cirone-hornickel, NP
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Mary Zaky, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Mary Morris, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Gabriel Hansen, NP
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Mary Crissler Belanger, MD
Internal Medicine
+ 8 more physicians
Dr. Joel Burnet, DO
Internal Medicine
Dr. Morgan Swartz, PA
Physician Assistant
Dr. Thomas Leece, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. John Conzemius, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Teresa King, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Rachel Keehner, PA
Physician Assistant
Dr. Mary Bassing, MD
Geriatric Medicine
Dr. Kelly Lay
Nurse Practitioner
Patient Reviews
Reviews and ratings from patients
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center
What is the CMS rating for Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center?
Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center 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 Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center primarily treat?
Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center's patient population includes cancer (31%), cardiovascular disease (21%), stroke (21%), other conditions (16%), dementia (8%), respiratory disease (5%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.
Where does Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center provide care?
Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center provides care in patient's home (55%), skilled nursing (23%), assisted living (21%), hospital (1%).
How large is Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center?
Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center serves an average of 73 patients per day and covers 44 ZIP codes in its service area.
How many doctors are affiliated with Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center?
20 physicians are affiliated with Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center.
Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·