About Hospice & Palliative Care Of The Blue Ridge, Inc
Hospice overview and quality summary
Hospice & Palliative Care Of The Blue Ridge, Inc is a nonprofit hospice care provider in Spruce Pine, NC, serving patients and families in Mitchell County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 1993, Hospice & Palliative Care Of The Blue Ridge, Inc has provided 33 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.
Hospice & Palliative Care Of The Blue Ridge, Inc serves an average of 104 patients per day, covering 30 ZIP codes across its service area. 77% of care is delivered in patients' homes, consistent with the hospice philosophy of enabling comfort care in familiar surroundings.
Hospice & Palliative Care Of The Blue Ridge, 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 Spruce Pine, NC, 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 & Palliative Care Of The Blue Ridge, 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 & Palliative Care Of The Blue Ridge, Inc among the higher-rated hospice providers serving families in Spruce Pine, NC.
Emotional & Spiritual Support
How well the hospice team provided emotional and spiritual support
95% of caregivers gave Hospice & Palliative Care Of The Blue Ridge, 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
95% of caregivers gave Hospice & Palliative Care Of The Blue Ridge, 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
83% of caregivers gave Hospice & Palliative Care Of The Blue Ridge, 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
90% of caregivers gave Hospice & Palliative Care Of The Blue Ridge, 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
92% of caregivers gave Hospice & Palliative Care Of The Blue Ridge, 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
86% of caregivers gave Hospice & Palliative Care Of The Blue Ridge, 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
92% of caregivers gave Hospice & Palliative Care Of The Blue Ridge, 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
97% of caregivers gave Hospice & Palliative Care Of The Blue Ridge, 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
99.6%
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
99.6%
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
100.0%
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
98.7%
Natl: 91.6%
Hospice Care Index
Composite quality score with 10 sub-measures
Overall HCI Score
National average: 8.8/10
Hospice & Palliative Care Of The Blue Ridge, 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.
52.2% of Hospice & Palliative Care Of The Blue Ridge, Inc's patients received visits from the hospice team in their final days of life, consistent with the national average of 47.9%. Presence during the final days reflects the hospice's commitment to supporting families when it matters most.
Visits Near Death
Patients with visits in last 3 days of life
94.8%
Natl: 89.5%
Nurse Care Minutes
Average nurse care minutes per routine home care day
9.2
Natl: 13.4
Weekend Nursing
Percentage of skilled nursing minutes on weekends
5.8%
Natl: 9.2%
Gaps in Nursing Visits
Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits
74.9%
Natl: 55.4%
Early Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive within 3 days
6.5%
Natl: 7.2%
Late Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive after enrollment
52.2%
Natl: 40%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 1)
Hospice-to-acute-care transitions near death
7.2%
Natl: 8%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 2)
Acute care admissions near death
1.4%
Natl: 2.3%
CHC/GIP Days
Continuous home care & general inpatient days as share of total
0.4%
Natl: 0.6%
Per-Beneficiary Spending
Average Medicare spending per hospice beneficiary
$26,332
Natl: $16,971
Patient Population
Primary diagnoses of hospice patients
Hospice & Palliative Care Of The Blue Ridge, Inc's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with cardiovascular disease (29%), followed by cancer (21%), respiratory disease (19%), other conditions (16%), dementia (14%).
Care Settings
Where hospice care is delivered
Hospice & Palliative Care Of The Blue Ridge, Inc delivers 77% of its care in patients' homes, with 16% in nursing facility settings, 7% in assisted living settings, 1% in hospital settings. The hospice serves an average of 104 patients per day.
Patient's Home
Nursing Facility
Assisted Living
Hospital
Doctors at Hospice & Palliative Care Of The Blue Ridge, Inc
20 affiliated physicians
Dr. Philip Mitchell, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Michelle Long
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. David Kimmel, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Chelsea Blevins, NP
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Katherine Smid
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Joseph Barker, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Brie Folkner, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Katherine Crum, MD
Geriatric Medicine
Dr. Lyndsay Edwards, PA
Physician Assistant
Dr. Tiffany Woody
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Karen Peterson, NP
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Ashley Hendrixon-ward, NP
Nurse Practitioner
+ 8 more physicians
Dr. Stephen Kimmel, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Dwight Willett, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Stephen Hayes, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Elizabeth Sparks, NP
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Ashley Williams
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Joshua Newton, PA
Physician Assistant
Dr. Chad Smoker, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Dan Radulescu, NP
Nurse Practitioner
Patient Reviews
Reviews and ratings from patients
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Hospice & Palliative Care Of The Blue Ridge, Inc
What is the CMS rating for Hospice & Palliative Care Of The Blue Ridge, Inc?
Hospice & Palliative Care Of The Blue Ridge, 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 & Palliative Care Of The Blue Ridge, Inc primarily treat?
Hospice & Palliative Care Of The Blue Ridge, Inc's patient population includes cardiovascular disease (29%), cancer (21%), respiratory disease (19%), other conditions (16%), dementia (14%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.
Where does Hospice & Palliative Care Of The Blue Ridge, Inc provide care?
Hospice & Palliative Care Of The Blue Ridge, Inc provides care in patient's home (77%), nursing facility (16%), assisted living (7%), hospital (1%).
How large is Hospice & Palliative Care Of The Blue Ridge, Inc?
Hospice & Palliative Care Of The Blue Ridge, Inc serves an average of 104 patients per day and covers 30 ZIP codes in its service area.
How many doctors are affiliated with Hospice & Palliative Care Of The Blue Ridge, Inc?
20 physicians are affiliated with Hospice & Palliative Care Of The Blue Ridge, Inc.
Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·