About Sanford Bemidji Hospice
Hospice overview and quality summary
Sanford Bemidji Hospice is an hospice care provider in Bemidji, MN, serving patients and families in Beltrami County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 1987, Sanford Bemidji Hospice has provided 39 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.
Sanford Bemidji Hospice serves an average of 28 patients per day, covering 29 ZIP codes across its service area. 48% of care is delivered in patients' homes, consistent with the hospice philosophy of enabling comfort care in familiar surroundings.
CMS has assigned Sanford Bemidji 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 9 out of 10, a composite measure of care quality and efficiency. 20 physicians are affiliated with this hospice.
When choosing hospice care in Bemidji, MN, 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
Sanford Bemidji 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 Bemidji, MN compare hospice providers.
Emotional & Spiritual Support
How well the hospice team provided emotional and spiritual support
88% 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
85% 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
74% of caregivers gave a top rating for help with symptoms, consistent with the national average of 74%.
Team Communication
How well the hospice team communicated with the family
73% 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
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
77% of caregivers gave a top rating for training for family caregivers, consistent with the national average of 75%.
Overall Rating (9-10)
Percentage of caregivers rating the hospice 9 or 10 out of 10
77% 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
84% 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
99.5%
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
99.0%
Natl: 99.0%
Dyspnea Treatment
Patients with dyspnea who received treatment within 24 hours
99.2%
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
97.9%
Natl: 91.6%
Hospice Care Index
Composite quality score with 10 sub-measures
Overall HCI Score
National average: 8.8/10
Sanford Bemidji Hospice's Hospice Care Index (HCI) score is 9 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.
58.7% of Sanford Bemidji 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
11.9
Natl: 13.4
Weekend Nursing
Percentage of skilled nursing minutes on weekends
2.8%
Natl: 9.2%
Gaps in Nursing Visits
Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits
64.1%
Natl: 55.4%
Early Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive within 3 days
3.3%
Natl: 7.2%
Late Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive after enrollment
30%
Natl: 40%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 1)
Hospice-to-acute-care transitions near death
6.7%
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
0.1%
Natl: 0.6%
Per-Beneficiary Spending
Average Medicare spending per hospice beneficiary
$9,840
Natl: $16,971
Patient Population
Primary diagnoses of hospice patients
Sanford Bemidji Hospice's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with cancer (31%), followed by cardiovascular disease (21%), dementia (18%), other conditions (17%), respiratory disease (8%), stroke (5%). 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
Sanford Bemidji Hospice delivers 48% of its care in patients' homes, with 27% in skilled nursing settings, 18% in assisted living settings, 6% in nursing facility 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.
Patient's Home
Skilled Nursing
Assisted Living
Nursing Facility
Doctors at Sanford Bemidji Hospice
20 affiliated physicians
Dr. Steven Quamme, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Rodney Will, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Jill Olson, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Jana Heger, NP
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Mary Salter, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Sherry Billups, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Jessica Stay, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Daniel Dekrey, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Stacy Smith
Physician Assistant
Dr. Susan Anderson, NP
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Elizabeth Lessard, NP
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Francis Moraleda, MD
Family Practice
+ 8 more physicians
Dr. Elizabeth Berg, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Nicole Busch
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Ashley Wavrin
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Craig Haggerty, MD
Emergency Medicine
Dr. Samantha Crossley, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Andre Spence, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Jamie Sindelar, DO
Hospice/palliative Care
Dr. David Moyer, MD
Family Practice
Patient Reviews
Reviews and ratings from patients
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Sanford Bemidji Hospice
What is the CMS rating for Sanford Bemidji Hospice?
Sanford Bemidji 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 Sanford Bemidji Hospice primarily treat?
Sanford Bemidji Hospice's patient population includes cancer (31%), cardiovascular disease (21%), dementia (18%), other conditions (17%), respiratory disease (8%), stroke (5%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.
Where does Sanford Bemidji Hospice provide care?
Sanford Bemidji Hospice provides care in patient's home (48%), skilled nursing (27%), assisted living (18%), nursing facility (6%).
How large is Sanford Bemidji Hospice?
Sanford Bemidji Hospice serves an average of 28 patients per day and covers 29 ZIP codes in its service area.
How many doctors are affiliated with Sanford Bemidji Hospice?
20 physicians are affiliated with Sanford Bemidji Hospice.
Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·