About Knute Nelson Hospice
Hospice overview and quality summary
Knute Nelson Hospice is an hospice care provider in Alexandria, MN, serving patients and families in Douglas County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 2013, Knute Nelson Hospice has provided 13 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.
Knute Nelson Hospice serves an average of 171 patients per day, covering 140 ZIP codes across its service area. 34% of care is delivered in patients' homes, consistent with the hospice philosophy of enabling comfort care in familiar surroundings.
Knute Nelson Hospice 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 Alexandria, MN, 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
Knute Nelson Hospice 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 Knute Nelson Hospice among the higher-rated hospice providers serving families in Alexandria, MN.
Emotional & Spiritual Support
How well the hospice team provided emotional and spiritual support
93% of caregivers gave Knute Nelson Hospice 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
92% 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
76% 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
82% 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
71% of caregivers gave a top rating for getting timely care, below the national average of 77%.
Training for Family Caregivers
Whether sufficient training was provided to care for the patient
74% 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
82% 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
87% of caregivers gave Knute Nelson Hospice 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
99.8%
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
100.0%
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
99.4%
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
99.5%
Natl: 91.6%
Hospice Care Index
Composite quality score with 10 sub-measures
Overall HCI Score
National average: 8.8/10
Knute Nelson Hospice'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.
71.1% of Knute Nelson Hospice'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%
Natl: 89.5%
Nurse Care Minutes
Average nurse care minutes per routine home care day
11.7
Natl: 13.4
Weekend Nursing
Percentage of skilled nursing minutes on weekends
6.7%
Natl: 9.2%
Gaps in Nursing Visits
Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits
56.5%
Natl: 55.4%
Early Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive within 3 days
2.3%
Natl: 7.2%
Late Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive after enrollment
33.3%
Natl: 40%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 1)
Hospice-to-acute-care transitions near death
1.1%
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%
Natl: 0.6%
Per-Beneficiary Spending
Average Medicare spending per hospice beneficiary
$16,709
Natl: $16,971
Patient Population
Primary diagnoses of hospice patients
Knute Nelson Hospice's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with dementia (27%), followed by other conditions (24%), cardiovascular disease (20%), cancer (20%), respiratory disease (7%), stroke (3%). Dementia care requires specialized communication techniques and behavioral support, which experienced hospice teams are trained to provide.
Care Settings
Where hospice care is delivered
Knute Nelson Hospice delivers 34% of its care in patients' homes, with 45% in assisted living settings, 20% in skilled nursing settings. The significant proportion of facility-based care may reflect patients requiring higher levels of medical support or those without available home caregivers. The hospice serves an average of 171 patients per day.
Assisted Living
Patient's Home
Skilled Nursing
Doctors at Knute Nelson Hospice
20 affiliated physicians
Dr. Jessica Butanis, DO
Internal Medicine
Dr. Corina Narvaez Jacob, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Matthew Mouser, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Timothy Busian, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Marlee Novak, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Skyler Dahlseng, DO
Internal Medicine
Dr. Jay Schmidt, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Jeffrey Blickenstaff, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Paul Bergstrand, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Erin Peterson, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Tyler Lacey, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Shaneen Schmidt, MD
Family Practice
+ 8 more physicians
Dr. Joshua Eken, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Dylan Folkestad, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Allison Juba, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Shawn Stafki, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Dustin Sperr, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Bruce Evink, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Toby Christie-perkins, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Stacey Smith, MD
Family Practice
Patient Reviews
Reviews and ratings from patients
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Knute Nelson Hospice
What is the CMS rating for Knute Nelson Hospice?
Knute Nelson Hospice 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 Knute Nelson Hospice primarily treat?
Knute Nelson Hospice's patient population includes dementia (27%), other conditions (24%), cardiovascular disease (20%), cancer (20%), respiratory disease (7%), stroke (3%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.
Where does Knute Nelson Hospice provide care?
Knute Nelson Hospice provides care in assisted living (45%), patient's home (34%), skilled nursing (20%).
How large is Knute Nelson Hospice?
Knute Nelson Hospice serves an average of 171 patients per day and covers 140 ZIP codes in its service area.
How many doctors are affiliated with Knute Nelson Hospice?
20 physicians are affiliated with Knute Nelson Hospice.
Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·