About Mercy Hospice
Hospice overview and quality summary
Mercy Hospice is a nonprofit hospice care provider in Fort Smith, AR, serving patients and families in Sebastian County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 1987, Mercy Hospice has provided 39 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.
Mercy Hospice serves an average of 60 patients per day, covering 63 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.
CMS has assigned Mercy Hospice a 3-star quality rating based on caregiver survey feedback, indicating average satisfaction with the hospice's care. The facility's Hospice Care Index score is 10 out of 10, a composite measure of care quality and efficiency. 12 physicians are affiliated with this hospice.
When choosing hospice care in Fort Smith, AR, 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
Average
CMS CAHPS Hospice Star Rating
Mercy Hospice has received a 3-star quality rating from CMS, based on the CAHPS Hospice Survey. This average rating reflects caregiver satisfaction across communication, symptom management, timely care, and emotional support. CMS publishes these ratings to help families in Fort Smith, AR compare hospice providers.
Emotional & Spiritual Support
How well the hospice team provided emotional and spiritual support
87% of caregivers gave a top rating for emotional & spiritual support, below the national average of 90%.
Treated with Respect
Whether the patient was treated with dignity and respect
86% of caregivers gave a top rating for treated with respect, below the national average of 90%.
Help with Symptoms
How well the hospice team managed pain and other symptoms
69% of caregivers gave a top rating for help with symptoms, below the national average of 74%.
Team Communication
How well the hospice team communicated with the family
78% of caregivers gave a top rating for team communication, below the national average of 81%.
Getting Timely Care
Whether the patient received help as soon as it was needed
77% 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
70% of caregivers gave a top rating for training for family caregivers, below the national average of 75%.
Overall Rating (9-10)
Percentage of caregivers rating the hospice 9 or 10 out of 10
78% of caregivers gave a top rating for overall rating (9-10), below the national average of 81%.
Would Recommend
Percentage of caregivers who would definitely recommend this hospice
78% of caregivers gave a top rating for would recommend, below 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
99.2%
Natl: 98.3%
Comprehensive Pain Assessment
Patients with pain who received a comprehensive pain assessment
95.3%
Natl: 94.8%
Dyspnea Screening
Patients screened for shortness of breath upon admission
99.3%
Natl: 99.0%
Dyspnea Treatment
Patients with dyspnea who received treatment within 24 hours
98.4%
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
93.3%
Natl: 91.6%
Hospice Care Index
Composite quality score with 10 sub-measures
Overall HCI Score
National average: 8.8/10
Mercy 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.
43.8% of Mercy Hospice'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
90.9%
Natl: 89.5%
Nurse Care Minutes
Average nurse care minutes per routine home care day
11.8
Natl: 13.4
Weekend Nursing
Percentage of skilled nursing minutes on weekends
7.7%
Natl: 9.2%
Gaps in Nursing Visits
Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits
57.4%
Natl: 55.4%
Early Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive within 3 days
13%
Natl: 7.2%
Late Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive after enrollment
30.9%
Natl: 40%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 1)
Hospice-to-acute-care transitions near death
7.3%
Natl: 8%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 2)
Acute care admissions near death
0.8%
Natl: 2.3%
CHC/GIP Days
Continuous home care & general inpatient days as share of total
3.2%
Natl: 0.6%
Per-Beneficiary Spending
Average Medicare spending per hospice beneficiary
$6,084
Natl: $16,971
Patient Population
Primary diagnoses of hospice patients
Mercy Hospice's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with cancer (31%), followed by other conditions (25%), cardiovascular disease (14%), respiratory disease (13%), stroke (10%), dementia (7%). 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
Mercy Hospice delivers 65% of its care in patients' homes, with 23% in nursing facility settings, 8% in inpatient hospice settings, 2% in assisted living settings. The hospice serves an average of 60 patients per day.
Patient's Home
Nursing Facility
Inpatient Hospice
Assisted Living
Doctors at Mercy Hospice
12 affiliated physicians
Dr. Thanh Le, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Jason Richey, MD
Family Practice
Dr. John Lane, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Wilson Cruz-leal, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Suh Niba, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Javed Rana, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Bradley Short, DO
Physical Medicine And Rehabilitation
Dr. Philip Elangwe, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Pamela Gaborni, MD
Hospice/palliative Care
Dr. Upton Siddons, MD
Family Practice
Dr. James Schmitz, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Danny Silver, MD
Family Practice
Patient Reviews
Reviews and ratings from patients
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Mercy Hospice
What is the CMS rating for Mercy Hospice?
Mercy Hospice has a 3-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 Mercy Hospice primarily treat?
Mercy Hospice's patient population includes cancer (31%), other conditions (25%), cardiovascular disease (14%), respiratory disease (13%), stroke (10%), dementia (7%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.
Where does Mercy Hospice provide care?
Mercy Hospice provides care in patient's home (65%), nursing facility (23%), inpatient hospice (8%), assisted living (2%).
How large is Mercy Hospice?
Mercy Hospice serves an average of 60 patients per day and covers 63 ZIP codes in its service area.
How many doctors are affiliated with Mercy Hospice?
12 physicians are affiliated with Mercy Hospice.
Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·