About Hospice Of Health First Inc
Hospice overview and quality summary
Hospice Of Health First Inc is a nonprofit hospice care provider in West Melbourne, FL, serving patients and families in Brevard County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 1985, Hospice Of Health First Inc has provided 41 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.
Hospice Of Health First Inc serves an average of 237 patients per day, covering 38 ZIP codes across its service area. 70% of care is delivered in patients' homes, consistent with the hospice philosophy of enabling comfort care in familiar surroundings.
Hospice Of Health First Inc 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. 12 physicians are affiliated with this hospice.
When choosing hospice care in West Melbourne, FL, 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
Hospice Of Health First Inc 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 Hospice Of Health First Inc among the higher-rated hospice providers serving families in West Melbourne, FL.
Emotional & Spiritual Support
How well the hospice team provided emotional and spiritual support
93% of caregivers gave Hospice Of Health First 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
93% of caregivers gave Hospice Of Health First 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
79% of caregivers gave Hospice Of Health First 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 Of Health First 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
83% of caregivers gave Hospice Of Health First 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
81% of caregivers gave Hospice Of Health First 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 Of Health First 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
92% of caregivers gave Hospice Of Health First 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
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
99.9%
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
99.9%
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
99.9%
Natl: 91.6%
Hospice Care Index
Composite quality score with 10 sub-measures
Overall HCI Score
National average: 8.8/10
Hospice Of Health First 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.
82.9% of Hospice Of Health First 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
99.3%
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
12.6%
Natl: 9.2%
Gaps in Nursing Visits
Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits
58.8%
Natl: 55.4%
Early Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive within 3 days
9.4%
Natl: 7.2%
Late Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive after enrollment
40.3%
Natl: 40%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 1)
Hospice-to-acute-care transitions near death
3.8%
Natl: 8%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 2)
Acute care admissions near death
1.3%
Natl: 2.3%
CHC/GIP Days
Continuous home care & general inpatient days as share of total
4.5%
Natl: 0.6%
Per-Beneficiary Spending
Average Medicare spending per hospice beneficiary
$11,968
Natl: $16,971
Patient Population
Primary diagnoses of hospice patients
Hospice Of Health First Inc's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with cancer (31%), followed by respiratory disease (17%), dementia (15%), other conditions (15%), cardiovascular disease (14%), stroke (10%). 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 Of Health First Inc delivers 70% of its care in patients' homes, with 14% in assisted living settings, 11% in nursing facility settings, 4% in inpatient hospice settings, 1% in hospital settings. The hospice serves an average of 237 patients per day.
Patient's Home
Assisted Living
Nursing Facility
Inpatient Hospice
Hospital
Doctors at Hospice Of Health First Inc
12 affiliated physicians
Dr. John Potomski, DO
Geriatric Medicine
Dr. Ruddy Ruiz, MD
Hospice/palliative Care
Dr. Zafar Sharar, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Giovanni Lupo, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Neil Frey
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Steven Ruiz, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Brian Walls, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Natsuko Okamura
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Gary Dana, MD
Hospice/palliative Care
Dr. Yanqing Gu, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Aravind Kumar, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Venu Luthra, MD
Internal Medicine
Patient Reviews
Reviews and ratings from patients
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Hospice Of Health First Inc
What is the CMS rating for Hospice Of Health First Inc?
Hospice Of Health First Inc 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 Hospice Of Health First Inc primarily treat?
Hospice Of Health First Inc's patient population includes cancer (31%), respiratory disease (17%), dementia (15%), other conditions (15%), cardiovascular disease (14%), stroke (10%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.
Where does Hospice Of Health First Inc provide care?
Hospice Of Health First Inc provides care in patient's home (70%), assisted living (14%), nursing facility (11%), inpatient hospice (4%), hospital (1%).
How large is Hospice Of Health First Inc?
Hospice Of Health First Inc serves an average of 237 patients per day and covers 38 ZIP codes in its service area.
How many doctors are affiliated with Hospice Of Health First Inc?
12 physicians are affiliated with Hospice Of Health First Inc.
Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·