About Hospice Of West Alabama
Hospice overview and quality summary
Hospice Of West Alabama is a nonprofit hospice care provider in Tuscaloosa, AL, serving patients and families in Tuscaloosa County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 1989, Hospice Of West Alabama has provided 37 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.
Hospice Of West Alabama serves an average of 100 patients per day, covering 48 ZIP codes across its service area. 60% of care is delivered in patients' homes, consistent with the hospice philosophy of enabling comfort care in familiar surroundings.
Hospice Of West Alabama 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. 15 physicians are affiliated with this hospice.
When choosing hospice care in Tuscaloosa, AL, 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 Of West Alabama 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 Of West Alabama among the higher-rated hospice providers serving families in Tuscaloosa, AL.
Emotional & Spiritual Support
How well the hospice team provided emotional and spiritual support
92% 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
95% of caregivers gave Hospice Of West Alabama 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
81% of caregivers gave Hospice Of West Alabama a top rating for help with symptoms, above the national average of 74%.
Team Communication
How well the hospice team communicated with the family
89% of caregivers gave Hospice Of West Alabama 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
86% of caregivers gave Hospice Of West Alabama 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 Of West Alabama 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
89% of caregivers gave Hospice Of West Alabama 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
95% of caregivers gave Hospice Of West Alabama 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
99.9%
Natl: 98.3%
Pain Screening
Patients screened for pain upon hospice admission
99.3%
Natl: 98.3%
Comprehensive Pain Assessment
Patients with pain who received a comprehensive pain assessment
100.0%
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
100.0%
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
99.0%
Natl: 91.6%
Hospice Care Index
Composite quality score with 10 sub-measures
Overall HCI Score
National average: 8.8/10
Hospice Of West Alabama'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.
81.6% of Hospice Of West Alabama'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
99.4%
Natl: 89.5%
Nurse Care Minutes
Average nurse care minutes per routine home care day
14.4
Natl: 13.4
Weekend Nursing
Percentage of skilled nursing minutes on weekends
5.9%
Natl: 9.2%
Gaps in Nursing Visits
Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits
14.7%
Natl: 55.4%
Early Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive within 3 days
6.7%
Natl: 7.2%
Late Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive after enrollment
32.6%
Natl: 40%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 1)
Hospice-to-acute-care transitions near death
12.4%
Natl: 8%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 2)
Acute care admissions near death
1.1%
Natl: 2.3%
CHC/GIP Days
Continuous home care & general inpatient days as share of total
5.2%
Natl: 0.6%
Per-Beneficiary Spending
Average Medicare spending per hospice beneficiary
$11,940
Natl: $16,971
Patient Population
Primary diagnoses of hospice patients
Hospice Of West Alabama's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with dementia (31%), followed by cancer (22%), other conditions (18%), cardiovascular disease (13%), stroke (11%), respiratory disease (6%). Dementia care requires specialized communication techniques and behavioral support, which experienced hospice teams are trained to provide.
Care Settings
Where hospice care is delivered
Hospice Of West Alabama delivers 60% of its care in patients' homes, with 25% in skilled nursing settings, 9% in assisted living settings, 7% in inpatient hospice settings. The hospice serves an average of 100 patients per day.
Patient's Home
Skilled Nursing
Assisted Living
Inpatient Hospice
Doctors at Hospice Of West Alabama
15 affiliated physicians
Dr. John Warren, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. James Wilhite, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. John Miller, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Steven Coppock, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Ross Vaughn, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Julia Boothe, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Leonard Jones, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Scott Arnold, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Jacquelynn Luker, MD
Family Practice
Dr. John Summerford, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Harry Richardson, MD
Family Practice
Dr. William Alldredge, MD
Internal Medicine
Patient Reviews
Reviews and ratings from patients
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Hospice Of West Alabama
What is the CMS rating for Hospice Of West Alabama?
Hospice Of West Alabama 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 Of West Alabama primarily treat?
Hospice Of West Alabama's patient population includes dementia (31%), cancer (22%), other conditions (18%), cardiovascular disease (13%), stroke (11%), respiratory disease (6%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.
Where does Hospice Of West Alabama provide care?
Hospice Of West Alabama provides care in patient's home (60%), skilled nursing (25%), assisted living (9%), inpatient hospice (7%).
How large is Hospice Of West Alabama?
Hospice Of West Alabama serves an average of 100 patients per day and covers 48 ZIP codes in its service area.
How many doctors are affiliated with Hospice Of West Alabama?
15 physicians are affiliated with Hospice Of West Alabama.
Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·