About Meadowlark Hospice
Hospice overview and quality summary
Meadowlark Hospice is a nonprofit hospice care provider in Clay Center, KS, serving patients and families in Clay County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 1993, Meadowlark Hospice has provided 33 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.
Meadowlark Hospice serves an average of 28 patients per day, covering 51 ZIP codes across its service area. 26% of care is delivered in patients' homes, consistent with the hospice philosophy of enabling comfort care in familiar surroundings.
Meadowlark Hospice 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 Clay Center, KS, 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
Meadowlark Hospice 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 Meadowlark Hospice among the higher-rated hospice providers serving families in Clay Center, KS.
Emotional & Spiritual Support
How well the hospice team provided emotional and spiritual support
94% of caregivers gave Meadowlark 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
97% of caregivers gave Meadowlark Hospice 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
78% of caregivers gave Meadowlark Hospice a top rating for help with symptoms, above the national average of 74%.
Team Communication
How well the hospice team communicated with the family
88% of caregivers gave Meadowlark Hospice 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 Meadowlark Hospice 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
89% of caregivers gave Meadowlark Hospice 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
90% of caregivers gave Meadowlark Hospice 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 Meadowlark 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
100.0%
Natl: 98.3%
Pain Screening
Patients screened for pain upon hospice admission
97.5%
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
87.9%
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
93.1%
Natl: 91.6%
Hospice Care Index
Composite quality score with 10 sub-measures
Overall HCI Score
National average: 8.8/10
Meadowlark 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.
60.7% of Meadowlark 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
95.1%
Natl: 89.5%
Nurse Care Minutes
Average nurse care minutes per routine home care day
21.2
Natl: 13.4
Weekend Nursing
Percentage of skilled nursing minutes on weekends
5.3%
Natl: 9.2%
Gaps in Nursing Visits
Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits
8.5%
Natl: 55.4%
Early Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive within 3 days
7.5%
Natl: 7.2%
Late Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive after enrollment
22.5%
Natl: 40%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 1)
Hospice-to-acute-care transitions near death
2.5%
Natl: 8%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 2)
Acute care admissions near death
2.5%
Natl: 2.3%
CHC/GIP Days
Continuous home care & general inpatient days as share of total
0.2%
Natl: 0.6%
Per-Beneficiary Spending
Average Medicare spending per hospice beneficiary
$11,294
Natl: $16,971
Patient Population
Primary diagnoses of hospice patients
Meadowlark Hospice's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with dementia (29%), followed by cancer (24%), cardiovascular disease (16%), other conditions (16%), respiratory disease (8%), stroke (8%). Dementia care requires specialized communication techniques and behavioral support, which experienced hospice teams are trained to provide.
Care Settings
Where hospice care is delivered
Meadowlark Hospice delivers 26% of its care in patients' homes, with 61% in nursing facility settings, 8% in assisted living 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 28 patients per day.
Nursing Facility
Patient's Home
Assisted Living
Doctors at Meadowlark Hospice
20 affiliated physicians
Dr. Timothy Penner, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Eric Anderson, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Nolan Beavers, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Michele Voelker, NP
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Kurtis Klecan, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Dorothy Breault, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Justin Poore, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Christopher Worthen, MD
General Practice
Dr. Cayle Goertzen, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Jacob Nagely, MD
Family Practice
Dr. John Haefele, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Shane Thoreson, MD
Family Practice
+ 8 more physicians
Dr. Nancy Zidek, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Travis Stembridge, MD
Obstetrics/gynecology
Dr. David Larson, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Audra Walter
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Ben Bruna, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Danielle Wurtz, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Joshua Chapman, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Cary Murphy, MD
Family Practice
Patient Reviews
Reviews and ratings from patients
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Meadowlark Hospice
What is the CMS rating for Meadowlark Hospice?
Meadowlark Hospice 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 Meadowlark Hospice primarily treat?
Meadowlark Hospice's patient population includes dementia (29%), cancer (24%), cardiovascular disease (16%), other conditions (16%), respiratory disease (8%), stroke (8%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.
Where does Meadowlark Hospice provide care?
Meadowlark Hospice provides care in nursing facility (61%), patient's home (26%), assisted living (8%).
How large is Meadowlark Hospice?
Meadowlark Hospice serves an average of 28 patients per day and covers 51 ZIP codes in its service area.
How many doctors are affiliated with Meadowlark Hospice?
20 physicians are affiliated with Meadowlark Hospice.
Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·