About Hearth Hospice
Hospice overview and quality summary
Hearth Hospice is an hospice care provider in Chattanooga, TN, serving patients and families in Hamilton County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 2013, Hearth Hospice has provided 13 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.
Hearth Hospice serves an average of 598 patients per day, covering 89 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.
Hearth 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. 17 physicians are affiliated with this hospice.
When choosing hospice care in Chattanooga, TN, 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
Hearth 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 Hearth Hospice among the higher-rated hospice providers serving families in Chattanooga, TN.
Emotional & Spiritual Support
How well the hospice team provided emotional and spiritual support
88% 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
91% 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
79% of caregivers gave Hearth 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
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 Hearth 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 Hearth 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
83% of caregivers gave a top rating for overall rating (9-10), consistent with the national average of 81%.
Would Recommend
Percentage of caregivers who would definitely recommend this hospice
88% of caregivers gave Hearth 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
99.6%
Natl: 98.3%
Pain Screening
Patients screened for pain upon hospice admission
99.8%
Natl: 98.3%
Comprehensive Pain Assessment
Patients with pain who received a comprehensive pain assessment
99.7%
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
98.2%
Natl: 97.4%
Opioid Bowel Regimen
Patients on opioids who were offered a bowel regimen
99.8%
Natl: 93.2%
Composite Process Score
Composite measure of all hospice care process quality measures
98.2%
Natl: 91.6%
Hospice Care Index
Composite quality score with 10 sub-measures
Overall HCI Score
National average: 8.8/10
Hearth 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.
82.2% of Hearth 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%
Natl: 89.5%
Nurse Care Minutes
Average nurse care minutes per routine home care day
12
Natl: 13.4
Weekend Nursing
Percentage of skilled nursing minutes on weekends
4.9%
Natl: 9.2%
Gaps in Nursing Visits
Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits
51.6%
Natl: 55.4%
Early Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive within 3 days
7%
Natl: 7.2%
Late Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive after enrollment
33.7%
Natl: 40%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 1)
Hospice-to-acute-care transitions near death
15.3%
Natl: 8%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 2)
Acute care admissions near death
1.7%
Natl: 2.3%
CHC/GIP Days
Continuous home care & general inpatient days as share of total
0.2%
Natl: 0.6%
Per-Beneficiary Spending
Average Medicare spending per hospice beneficiary
$17,892
Natl: $16,971
Patient Population
Primary diagnoses of hospice patients
Hearth Hospice's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with cardiovascular disease (27%), followed by dementia (26%), cancer (19%), respiratory disease (10%), other conditions (10%), stroke (9%).
Care Settings
Where hospice care is delivered
Hearth Hospice delivers 54% of its care in patients' homes, with 29% in assisted living settings, 17% in nursing facility settings. The hospice serves an average of 598 patients per day.
Patient's Home
Assisted Living
Nursing Facility
Doctors at Hearth Hospice
17 affiliated physicians
Dr. Elise Marshall, DO
Internal Medicine
Dr. Azhar Sheikh, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Andrew Smith
Family Practice
Dr. Vani Bollineni, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Gregory Nieckula, DO
Internal Medicine
Dr. Jon Huebschman, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Timothy Collins, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Subhash Virani, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Gerard Mazza, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Randy Heisser, MD
Family Practice
Dr. John Yager, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Terry Melvin, MD
Internal Medicine
Patient Reviews
Reviews and ratings from patients
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Hearth Hospice
What is the CMS rating for Hearth Hospice?
Hearth 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 Hearth Hospice primarily treat?
Hearth Hospice's patient population includes cardiovascular disease (27%), dementia (26%), cancer (19%), respiratory disease (10%), other conditions (10%), stroke (9%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.
Where does Hearth Hospice provide care?
Hearth Hospice provides care in patient's home (54%), assisted living (29%), nursing facility (17%).
How large is Hearth Hospice?
Hearth Hospice serves an average of 598 patients per day and covers 89 ZIP codes in its service area.
How many doctors are affiliated with Hearth Hospice?
17 physicians are affiliated with Hearth Hospice.
Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·