About Hospice Buffalo Inc
Hospice overview and quality summary
Hospice Buffalo Inc is a nonprofit hospice care provider in Cheektowaga, NY, serving patients and families in Erie County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 1983, Hospice Buffalo Inc has provided 43 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.
Hospice Buffalo Inc serves an average of 406 patients per day, covering 84 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.
Hospice Buffalo Inc 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 Cheektowaga, NY, 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
Hospice Buffalo Inc 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 Hospice Buffalo Inc among the higher-rated hospice providers serving families in Cheektowaga, NY.
Emotional & Spiritual Support
How well the hospice team provided emotional and spiritual support
93% of caregivers gave Hospice Buffalo Inc 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 Hospice Buffalo Inc 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
78% of caregivers gave Hospice Buffalo Inc 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 Hospice Buffalo Inc 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
84% of caregivers gave Hospice Buffalo Inc 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 Hospice Buffalo Inc 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
88% of caregivers gave Hospice Buffalo Inc 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
93% of caregivers gave Hospice Buffalo Inc 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
99.9%
Natl: 99.5%
Beliefs & Values Addressed
Patients whose beliefs and values were addressed in the plan of care
99.8%
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
100.0%
Natl: 99.0%
Dyspnea Treatment
Patients with dyspnea who received treatment within 24 hours
99.4%
Natl: 97.4%
Opioid Bowel Regimen
Patients on opioids who were offered a bowel regimen
99.7%
Natl: 93.2%
Composite Process Score
Composite measure of all hospice care process quality measures
99.0%
Natl: 91.6%
Hospice Care Index
Composite quality score with 10 sub-measures
Overall HCI Score
National average: 8.8/10
Hospice Buffalo Inc'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.
72.1% of Hospice Buffalo Inc'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
96.2%
Natl: 89.5%
Nurse Care Minutes
Average nurse care minutes per routine home care day
18.3
Natl: 13.4
Weekend Nursing
Percentage of skilled nursing minutes on weekends
12.2%
Natl: 9.2%
Gaps in Nursing Visits
Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits
57.5%
Natl: 55.4%
Early Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive within 3 days
7.8%
Natl: 7.2%
Late Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive after enrollment
35.3%
Natl: 40%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 1)
Hospice-to-acute-care transitions near death
1.4%
Natl: 8%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 2)
Acute care admissions near death
2.6%
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
$12,059
Natl: $16,971
Patient Population
Primary diagnoses of hospice patients
Hospice Buffalo Inc's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with cancer (37%), followed by dementia (21%), cardiovascular disease (16%), other conditions (11%), respiratory disease (8%), 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
Hospice Buffalo Inc delivers 66% of its care in patients' homes, with 25% in skilled nursing settings, 6% in assisted living settings, 2% in inpatient hospice settings, 1% in nursing facility settings. The hospice serves an average of 406 patients per day.
Patient's Home
Skilled Nursing
Assisted Living
Inpatient Hospice
Nursing Facility
Doctors at Hospice Buffalo Inc
20 affiliated physicians
Dr. Michael Kueker, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Rakhi Barkowski, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Robert Erickson, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Seth Mensah, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Nelda Lawler, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Jeffery Facer, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Arun Patel, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Dacia Harris, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Sita Akkinepally, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. John Notaro, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Edward Stehlik, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Christopher Schaeffer
Internal Medicine
+ 8 more physicians
Dr. Becker Steinemann, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Romain Calini, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Stacey Gugino, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Ryan Mikac, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Harnath Clerk, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Alfredo Kua, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Lisa Mendonza, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Cassandra Williams, MD
Internal Medicine
Patient Reviews
Reviews and ratings from patients
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Hospice Buffalo Inc
What is the CMS rating for Hospice Buffalo Inc?
Hospice Buffalo Inc 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 Hospice Buffalo Inc primarily treat?
Hospice Buffalo Inc's patient population includes cancer (37%), dementia (21%), cardiovascular disease (16%), other conditions (11%), respiratory disease (8%), stroke (7%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.
Where does Hospice Buffalo Inc provide care?
Hospice Buffalo Inc provides care in patient's home (66%), skilled nursing (25%), assisted living (6%), inpatient hospice (2%), nursing facility (1%).
How large is Hospice Buffalo Inc?
Hospice Buffalo Inc serves an average of 406 patients per day and covers 84 ZIP codes in its service area.
How many doctors are affiliated with Hospice Buffalo Inc?
20 physicians are affiliated with Hospice Buffalo Inc.
Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·