About Intermountain Health Hospice - Denver
Hospice overview and quality summary
Intermountain Health Hospice - Denver is a nonprofit hospice care provider in Wheat Ridge, CO, serving patients and families in Jefferson County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 1985, Intermountain Health Hospice - Denver has provided 41 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.
Intermountain Health Hospice - Denver serves an average of 123 patients per day, covering 101 ZIP codes across its service area. 75% of care is delivered in patients' homes, consistent with the hospice philosophy of enabling comfort care in familiar surroundings.
Intermountain Health Hospice - Denver 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. 20 physicians are affiliated with this hospice.
When choosing hospice care in Wheat Ridge, CO, 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
Intermountain Health Hospice - Denver 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 Intermountain Health Hospice - Denver among the higher-rated hospice providers serving families in Wheat Ridge, CO.
Emotional & Spiritual Support
How well the hospice team provided emotional and spiritual support
90% 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
91% of caregivers gave a top rating for treated with respect, consistent with the national average of 90%.
Help with Symptoms
How well the hospice team managed pain and other symptoms
72% 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
80% 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
78% 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
83% 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
85% of caregivers gave a top rating for would recommend, consistent with 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
99.8%
Natl: 98.3%
Pain Screening
Patients screened for pain upon hospice admission
99.7%
Natl: 98.3%
Comprehensive Pain Assessment
Patients with pain who received a comprehensive pain assessment
99.1%
Natl: 94.8%
Dyspnea Screening
Patients screened for shortness of breath upon admission
99.5%
Natl: 99.0%
Dyspnea Treatment
Patients with dyspnea who received treatment within 24 hours
99.6%
Natl: 97.4%
Opioid Bowel Regimen
Patients on opioids who were offered a bowel regimen
98.9%
Natl: 93.2%
Composite Process Score
Composite measure of all hospice care process quality measures
97.9%
Natl: 91.6%
Hospice Care Index
Composite quality score with 10 sub-measures
Overall HCI Score
National average: 8.8/10
Intermountain Health Hospice - Denver'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.
56.2% of Intermountain Health Hospice - Denver'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
93.3%
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
16.4%
Natl: 9.2%
Gaps in Nursing Visits
Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits
71.7%
Natl: 55.4%
Early Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive within 3 days
12.8%
Natl: 7.2%
Late Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive after enrollment
39.7%
Natl: 40%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 1)
Hospice-to-acute-care transitions near death
2.6%
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
$10,237
Natl: $16,971
Patient Population
Primary diagnoses of hospice patients
Intermountain Health Hospice - Denver's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with cancer (32%), followed by other conditions (21%), respiratory disease (18%), cardiovascular disease (14%), stroke (9%), dementia (8%). 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
Intermountain Health Hospice - Denver delivers 75% of its care in patients' homes, with 10% in skilled nursing settings, 8% in inpatient hospice settings, 6% in assisted living settings. The hospice serves an average of 123 patients per day.
Patient's Home
Skilled Nursing
Inpatient Hospice
Assisted Living
Doctors at Intermountain Health Hospice - Denver
20 affiliated physicians
Dr. David Baldwin, DO
Hospitalist
Dr. James Woodrow, MD
Critical Care (intensivists)
Dr. Travis Rinderle, DO
Hospice/palliative Care
Dr. Emily Russell, DO
Internal Medicine
Dr. Marc Passo, MD
Emergency Medicine
Dr. Chelsea Ratliff, MD
Hospitalist
Dr. Leah Fuchs, MD
Hospitalist
Dr. John Archard, MD
Hospitalist
Dr. Benjamin Briggs, MD
Hospitalist
Dr. Mechelle Viola-lewis, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Danice Rinderknecht, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Rodrigo Lopez Castelblanco, MD
Hospitalist
+ 8 more physicians
Dr. Carolina White, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Richard Bigler, DO
Hospitalist
Dr. Heather Frank, MD
Hospice/palliative Care
Dr. Jeffrey Bontrager, MD
Emergency Medicine
Dr. Erika Gelgand, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Brian Nordstrom Lane, MD
Hospitalist
Dr. Peter Mutuc, MD
Hospitalist
Dr. Nicholaus Mize, DO
Internal Medicine
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Intermountain Health Hospice - Denver
What is the CMS rating for Intermountain Health Hospice - Denver?
Intermountain Health Hospice - Denver 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 Intermountain Health Hospice - Denver primarily treat?
Intermountain Health Hospice - Denver's patient population includes cancer (32%), other conditions (21%), respiratory disease (18%), cardiovascular disease (14%), stroke (9%), dementia (8%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.
Where does Intermountain Health Hospice - Denver provide care?
Intermountain Health Hospice - Denver provides care in patient's home (75%), skilled nursing (10%), inpatient hospice (8%), assisted living (6%).
How large is Intermountain Health Hospice - Denver?
Intermountain Health Hospice - Denver serves an average of 123 patients per day and covers 101 ZIP codes in its service area.
How many doctors are affiliated with Intermountain Health Hospice - Denver?
20 physicians are affiliated with Intermountain Health Hospice - Denver.
Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·