About Mercyone Hospice
Hospice overview and quality summary
Mercyone Hospice is a nonprofit hospice care provider in Des Moines, IA, serving patients and families in Polk County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 1986, Mercyone Hospice has provided 40 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.
Mercyone Hospice serves an average of 35 patients per day, covering 70 ZIP codes across its service area. 71% of care is delivered in patients' homes, consistent with the hospice philosophy of enabling comfort care in familiar surroundings.
CMS has assigned Mercyone 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. 8 physicians are affiliated with this hospice.
When choosing hospice care in Des Moines, IA, 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
Mercyone 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 Des Moines, IA compare hospice providers.
Emotional & Spiritual Support
How well the hospice team provided emotional and spiritual support
91% 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
68% 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
81% 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
76% 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
65% 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
81% 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 Mercyone 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
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
99.3%
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
99.6%
Natl: 91.6%
Hospice Care Index
Composite quality score with 10 sub-measures
Overall HCI Score
National average: 8.8/10
Mercyone 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.
79.3% of Mercyone 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
97.5%
Natl: 89.5%
Nurse Care Minutes
Average nurse care minutes per routine home care day
18.7
Natl: 13.4
Weekend Nursing
Percentage of skilled nursing minutes on weekends
11.6%
Natl: 9.2%
Gaps in Nursing Visits
Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits
32.7%
Natl: 55.4%
Early Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive within 3 days
13.3%
Natl: 7.2%
Late Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive after enrollment
16.7%
Natl: 40%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 1)
Hospice-to-acute-care transitions near death
0%
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
0.7%
Natl: 0.6%
Per-Beneficiary Spending
Average Medicare spending per hospice beneficiary
$9,699
Natl: $16,971
Patient Population
Primary diagnoses of hospice patients
Mercyone Hospice's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with cancer (31%), followed by cardiovascular disease (20%), other conditions (18%), dementia (15%), respiratory disease (13%). 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
Mercyone Hospice delivers 71% of its care in patients' homes, with 15% in nursing facility settings, 10% in skilled nursing settings, 4% in assisted living settings. The hospice serves an average of 35 patients per day.
Patient's Home
Nursing Facility
Skilled Nursing
Assisted Living
Doctors at Mercyone Hospice
8 affiliated physicians
Dr. Scott Hanson, DO
Geriatric Medicine
Dr. Daniel Miller, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Julianne Carson-hem
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Timothy Mccoy, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Joseph Mcgargill, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Robert Conner, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Andrew Bishop, DO
Internal Medicine
Dr. Shana Martinez
Nurse Practitioner
Patient Reviews
Reviews and ratings from patients
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Mercyone Hospice
What is the CMS rating for Mercyone Hospice?
Mercyone 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 Mercyone Hospice primarily treat?
Mercyone Hospice's patient population includes cancer (31%), cardiovascular disease (20%), other conditions (18%), dementia (15%), respiratory disease (13%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.
Where does Mercyone Hospice provide care?
Mercyone Hospice provides care in patient's home (71%), nursing facility (15%), skilled nursing (10%), assisted living (4%).
How large is Mercyone Hospice?
Mercyone Hospice serves an average of 35 patients per day and covers 70 ZIP codes in its service area.
How many doctors are affiliated with Mercyone Hospice?
8 physicians are affiliated with Mercyone Hospice.
Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·