About Lower Cape Fear Lifecare
Hospice overview and quality summary
Lower Cape Fear Lifecare is a nonprofit hospice care provider in Wilmington, NC, serving patients and families in New Hanover County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 1987, Lower Cape Fear Lifecare has provided 39 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.
Lower Cape Fear Lifecare serves an average of 468 patients per day, covering 112 ZIP codes across its service area. 65% of care is delivered in patients' homes, consistent with the hospice philosophy of enabling comfort care in familiar surroundings.
Lower Cape Fear Lifecare 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 Wilmington, 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
Very Good
CMS CAHPS Hospice Star Rating
Lower Cape Fear Lifecare 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 Lower Cape Fear Lifecare among the higher-rated hospice providers serving families in Wilmington, NC.
Emotional & Spiritual Support
How well the hospice team provided emotional and spiritual support
89% 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
93% of caregivers gave Lower Cape Fear Lifecare 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 Lower Cape Fear Lifecare a top rating for help with symptoms, above the national average of 74%.
Team Communication
How well the hospice team communicated with the family
84% of caregivers gave Lower Cape Fear Lifecare 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 Lower Cape Fear Lifecare 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
80% of caregivers gave Lower Cape Fear Lifecare 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
87% of caregivers gave Lower Cape Fear Lifecare 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
90% of caregivers gave Lower Cape Fear Lifecare 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
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
99.8%
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
Lower Cape Fear Lifecare'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.
66.2% of Lower Cape Fear Lifecare'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
96.8%
Natl: 89.5%
Nurse Care Minutes
Average nurse care minutes per routine home care day
15.3
Natl: 13.4
Weekend Nursing
Percentage of skilled nursing minutes on weekends
7.6%
Natl: 9.2%
Gaps in Nursing Visits
Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits
49.8%
Natl: 55.4%
Early Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive within 3 days
9.6%
Natl: 7.2%
Late Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive after enrollment
40.4%
Natl: 40%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 1)
Hospice-to-acute-care transitions near death
3.5%
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
4.3%
Natl: 0.6%
Per-Beneficiary Spending
Average Medicare spending per hospice beneficiary
$11,614
Natl: $16,971
Patient Population
Primary diagnoses of hospice patients
Lower Cape Fear Lifecare's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with cancer (29%), followed by dementia (19%), other conditions (18%), cardiovascular disease (14%), stroke (12%), respiratory disease (9%).
Care Settings
Where hospice care is delivered
Lower Cape Fear Lifecare delivers 65% of its care in patients' homes, with 17% in nursing facility settings, 12% in assisted living settings, 5% in inpatient hospice settings, 1% in skilled nursing settings. The hospice serves an average of 468 patients per day.
Patient's Home
Nursing Facility
Assisted Living
Inpatient Hospice
Skilled Nursing
Doctors at Lower Cape Fear Lifecare
20 affiliated physicians
Dr. Richard Crane, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Mary Rudyk, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Michael Moore, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Richard Fleming, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Jennifer Johnson, DO
Internal Medicine
Dr. Lindsey Buckingham
Gynecological Oncology
Dr. Rhonda Lowry, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Domenic Palagruto, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Robert Clinton, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Jacob Phillips
Hospice/palliative Care
Dr. Maria De Lourdes Sturchler, MD
Emergency Medicine
Dr. Dean Karras, MD
Internal Medicine
+ 8 more physicians
Dr. Rebecca Lee, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Jennifer Davis, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Amy Rich, PA
Physician Assistant
Dr. Sherif Naguib, MD
Family Practice
Dr. David Chess, MD
Geriatric Medicine
Dr. Elizabeth Barnhill-blackwell, NP
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Mark Williams, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Matthew Williams, MD
Family Practice
Patient Reviews
Reviews and ratings from patients
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Lower Cape Fear Lifecare
What is the CMS rating for Lower Cape Fear Lifecare?
Lower Cape Fear Lifecare 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 Lower Cape Fear Lifecare primarily treat?
Lower Cape Fear Lifecare's patient population includes cancer (29%), dementia (19%), other conditions (18%), cardiovascular disease (14%), stroke (12%), respiratory disease (9%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.
Where does Lower Cape Fear Lifecare provide care?
Lower Cape Fear Lifecare provides care in patient's home (65%), nursing facility (17%), assisted living (12%), inpatient hospice (5%), skilled nursing (1%).
How large is Lower Cape Fear Lifecare?
Lower Cape Fear Lifecare serves an average of 468 patients per day and covers 112 ZIP codes in its service area.
How many doctors are affiliated with Lower Cape Fear Lifecare?
20 physicians are affiliated with Lower Cape Fear Lifecare.
Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·