About Notre Dame Hospice
Hospice overview and quality summary
Notre Dame Hospice is a for-profit hospice care provider in Worcester, MA, serving patients and families in Worcester County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 2007, Notre Dame Hospice has provided 19 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.
Notre Dame Hospice serves an average of 77 patients per day, covering 55 ZIP codes across its service area. 35% of care is delivered in patients' homes, consistent with the hospice philosophy of enabling comfort care in familiar surroundings.
Notre Dame Hospice 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. 16 physicians are affiliated with this hospice.
When choosing hospice care in Worcester, MA, 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
Notre Dame Hospice 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 Notre Dame Hospice among the higher-rated hospice providers serving families in Worcester, MA.
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
94% of caregivers gave Notre Dame 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
79% of caregivers gave Notre Dame 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
83% 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
82% of caregivers gave Notre Dame 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
79% of caregivers gave Notre Dame 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
88% of caregivers gave Notre Dame 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
89% of caregivers gave Notre Dame 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
99.6%
Natl: 99.5%
Beliefs & Values Addressed
Patients whose beliefs and values were addressed in the plan of care
96.5%
Natl: 98.3%
Pain Screening
Patients screened for pain upon hospice admission
99.6%
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
97.2%
Natl: 97.4%
Opioid Bowel Regimen
Patients on opioids who were offered a bowel regimen
98.7%
Natl: 93.2%
Composite Process Score
Composite measure of all hospice care process quality measures
95.3%
Natl: 91.6%
Hospice Care Index
Composite quality score with 10 sub-measures
Overall HCI Score
National average: 8.8/10
Notre Dame 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.
68.4% of Notre Dame 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
91.7%
Natl: 89.5%
Nurse Care Minutes
Average nurse care minutes per routine home care day
10.7
Natl: 13.4
Weekend Nursing
Percentage of skilled nursing minutes on weekends
8.9%
Natl: 9.2%
Gaps in Nursing Visits
Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits
47.7%
Natl: 55.4%
Early Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive within 3 days
1.9%
Natl: 7.2%
Late Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive after enrollment
38.9%
Natl: 40%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 1)
Hospice-to-acute-care transitions near death
3.7%
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%
Natl: 0.6%
Per-Beneficiary Spending
Average Medicare spending per hospice beneficiary
$19,645
Natl: $16,971
Patient Population
Primary diagnoses of hospice patients
Notre Dame Hospice's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with dementia (30%), followed by cancer (20%), other conditions (16%), cardiovascular disease (14%), stroke (14%), respiratory disease (6%). Dementia care requires specialized communication techniques and behavioral support, which experienced hospice teams are trained to provide.
Care Settings
Where hospice care is delivered
Notre Dame Hospice delivers 35% of its care in patients' homes, with 44% in nursing facility settings, 9% 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 77 patients per day.
Nursing Facility
Patient's Home
Assisted Living
Doctors at Notre Dame Hospice
16 affiliated physicians
Dr. Pamela Lane
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Ingrid Fuller, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Saqib Chaudhary, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Emily Robinson
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Alicyn Walsh, NP
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Tracy Ramos, NP
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Anila Medina, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Sarah Mcgee, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Julie Gil
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Lenka Drahoradova
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Jessica Boatman Dray, MD
Geriatric Medicine
Dr. Shirley So, MD
Geriatric Medicine
Patient Reviews
Reviews and ratings from patients
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Notre Dame Hospice
What is the CMS rating for Notre Dame Hospice?
Notre Dame Hospice 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 Notre Dame Hospice primarily treat?
Notre Dame Hospice's patient population includes dementia (30%), cancer (20%), other conditions (16%), cardiovascular disease (14%), stroke (14%), respiratory disease (6%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.
Where does Notre Dame Hospice provide care?
Notre Dame Hospice provides care in nursing facility (44%), patient's home (35%), assisted living (9%).
How large is Notre Dame Hospice?
Notre Dame Hospice serves an average of 77 patients per day and covers 55 ZIP codes in its service area.
How many doctors are affiliated with Notre Dame Hospice?
16 physicians are affiliated with Notre Dame Hospice.
Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·