About Hospice Care Of The Lowcountry
Hospice overview and quality summary
Hospice Care Of The Lowcountry is a for-profit hospice care provider in Bluffton, SC, serving patients and families in Beaufort County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 1993, Hospice Care Of The Lowcountry has provided 33 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.
Hospice Care Of The Lowcountry serves an average of 84 patients per day, covering 17 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.
CMS has assigned Hospice Care Of The Lowcountry 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. 14 physicians are affiliated with this hospice.
When choosing hospice care in Bluffton, SC, 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
Hospice Care Of The Lowcountry 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 Bluffton, SC compare hospice providers.
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
93% of caregivers gave Hospice Care Of The Lowcountry 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
73% 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
81% 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
77% of caregivers gave a top rating for getting timely care, consistent with the national average of 77%.
Training for Family Caregivers
Whether sufficient training was provided to care for the patient
73% of caregivers gave a top rating for training for family caregivers, consistent with the national average of 75%.
Overall Rating (9-10)
Percentage of caregivers rating the hospice 9 or 10 out of 10
80% 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 Hospice Care Of The Lowcountry 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
99.4%
Natl: 99.5%
Beliefs & Values Addressed
Patients whose beliefs and values were addressed in the plan of care
95.0%
Natl: 98.3%
Pain Screening
Patients screened for pain upon hospice admission
99.1%
Natl: 98.3%
Comprehensive Pain Assessment
Patients with pain who received a comprehensive pain assessment
99.3%
Natl: 94.8%
Dyspnea Screening
Patients screened for shortness of breath upon admission
99.4%
Natl: 99.0%
Dyspnea Treatment
Patients with dyspnea who received treatment within 24 hours
92.4%
Natl: 97.4%
Opioid Bowel Regimen
Patients on opioids who were offered a bowel regimen
96.9%
Natl: 93.2%
Composite Process Score
Composite measure of all hospice care process quality measures
90.4%
Natl: 91.6%
Hospice Care Index
Composite quality score with 10 sub-measures
Overall HCI Score
National average: 8.8/10
Hospice Care Of The Lowcountry'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.
61.5% of Hospice Care Of The Lowcountry'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
95.6%
Natl: 89.5%
Nurse Care Minutes
Average nurse care minutes per routine home care day
14.7
Natl: 13.4
Weekend Nursing
Percentage of skilled nursing minutes on weekends
7.7%
Natl: 9.2%
Gaps in Nursing Visits
Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits
26.7%
Natl: 55.4%
Early Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive within 3 days
9.5%
Natl: 7.2%
Late Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive after enrollment
16.7%
Natl: 40%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 1)
Hospice-to-acute-care transitions near death
16.7%
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
0.2%
Natl: 0.6%
Per-Beneficiary Spending
Average Medicare spending per hospice beneficiary
$13,806
Natl: $16,971
Patient Population
Primary diagnoses of hospice patients
Hospice Care Of The Lowcountry's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with cancer (37%), followed by dementia (24%), other conditions (16%), cardiovascular disease (14%), respiratory disease (7%), stroke (3%). 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 Care Of The Lowcountry delivers 68% of its care in patients' homes, with 17% in skilled nursing settings, 14% in assisted living settings. The hospice serves an average of 84 patients per day.
Patient's Home
Skilled Nursing
Assisted Living
Doctors at Hospice Care Of The Lowcountry
14 affiliated physicians
Dr. Saeed Rehman, MD
Emergency Medicine
Dr. Rafael Sanchez-yriarte, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. David Castor, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Fletcher Derrick, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Rahul Parimoo, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Stephen Tiley, DO
Hematology/oncology
Dr. Sathwik Katragadda, MD
Hospitalist
Dr. Kamal Patel, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Daniel Kazmierski, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Suzanne Poole
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Cynthia Burdick
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Matthew Cusano, MD
Internal Medicine
Patient Reviews
Reviews and ratings from patients
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Hospice Care Of The Lowcountry
What is the CMS rating for Hospice Care Of The Lowcountry?
Hospice Care Of The Lowcountry 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 Hospice Care Of The Lowcountry primarily treat?
Hospice Care Of The Lowcountry's patient population includes cancer (37%), dementia (24%), other conditions (16%), cardiovascular disease (14%), respiratory disease (7%), stroke (3%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.
Where does Hospice Care Of The Lowcountry provide care?
Hospice Care Of The Lowcountry provides care in patient's home (68%), skilled nursing (17%), assisted living (14%).
How large is Hospice Care Of The Lowcountry?
Hospice Care Of The Lowcountry serves an average of 84 patients per day and covers 17 ZIP codes in its service area.
How many doctors are affiliated with Hospice Care Of The Lowcountry?
14 physicians are affiliated with Hospice Care Of The Lowcountry.
Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·