About Mercyone North Iowa Hospice
Hospice overview and quality summary
Mercyone North Iowa Hospice is a for-profit hospice care provider in Mason City, IA, serving patients and families in Cerro Gordo County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 1985, Mercyone North Iowa Hospice has provided 41 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.
Mercyone North Iowa Hospice serves an average of 31 patients per day, covering 76 ZIP codes across its service area. 31% of care is delivered in patients' homes, consistent with the hospice philosophy of enabling comfort care in familiar surroundings.
CMS has assigned Mercyone North Iowa 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. 11 physicians are affiliated with this hospice.
When choosing hospice care in Mason City, 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 North Iowa 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 Mason City, IA compare hospice providers.
Emotional & Spiritual Support
How well the hospice team provided emotional and spiritual support
92% 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
90% 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
70% 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
77% 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
73% 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
69% 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
76% 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
86% of caregivers gave a top rating for would recommend, consistent with 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
100.0%
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
100.0%
Natl: 91.6%
Hospice Care Index
Composite quality score with 10 sub-measures
Overall HCI Score
National average: 8.8/10
Mercyone North Iowa 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.
57.7% of Mercyone North Iowa 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
94%
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
4.7%
Natl: 9.2%
Gaps in Nursing Visits
Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits
65.5%
Natl: 55.4%
Early Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive within 3 days
7%
Natl: 7.2%
Late Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive after enrollment
47.9%
Natl: 40%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 1)
Hospice-to-acute-care transitions near death
5.6%
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
3%
Natl: 0.6%
Per-Beneficiary Spending
Average Medicare spending per hospice beneficiary
$8,161
Natl: $16,971
Patient Population
Primary diagnoses of hospice patients
Mercyone North Iowa Hospice's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with cancer (28%), followed by dementia (20%), other conditions (19%), cardiovascular disease (18%), respiratory disease (9%), stroke (7%).
Care Settings
Where hospice care is delivered
Mercyone North Iowa Hospice delivers 31% of its care in patients' homes, with 59% in nursing facility settings, 7% in assisted living settings, 3% in hospital settings, 1% 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 31 patients per day.
Nursing Facility
Patient's Home
Assisted Living
Hospital
Skilled Nursing
Doctors at Mercyone North Iowa Hospice
11 affiliated physicians
Dr. Brooke Stewart
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Joseph Petersen, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Joshua Baker
Family Practice
Dr. Catherine Butler, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Patrick Oben, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Tara Rochleau
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Timothy Mccoy, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Keith Hansen, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Sara Wolfe
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Joseph Behr, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Janice Kirsch, MD
Internal Medicine
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Mercyone North Iowa Hospice
What is the CMS rating for Mercyone North Iowa Hospice?
Mercyone North Iowa 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 North Iowa Hospice primarily treat?
Mercyone North Iowa Hospice's patient population includes cancer (28%), dementia (20%), other conditions (19%), cardiovascular disease (18%), respiratory disease (9%), stroke (7%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.
Where does Mercyone North Iowa Hospice provide care?
Mercyone North Iowa Hospice provides care in nursing facility (59%), patient's home (31%), assisted living (7%), hospital (3%), skilled nursing (1%).
How large is Mercyone North Iowa Hospice?
Mercyone North Iowa Hospice serves an average of 31 patients per day and covers 76 ZIP codes in its service area.
How many doctors are affiliated with Mercyone North Iowa Hospice?
11 physicians are affiliated with Mercyone North Iowa Hospice.
Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·