About Sanford Hospice
Hospice overview and quality summary
Sanford Hospice is a nonprofit hospice care provider in Sioux Falls, SD, serving patients and families in Minnehaha County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 1988, Sanford Hospice has provided 38 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.
Sanford Hospice serves an average of 78 patients per day, covering 105 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.
CMS has assigned Sanford 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. 20 physicians are affiliated with this hospice.
When choosing hospice care in Sioux Falls, SD, 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 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 Sioux Falls, SD compare hospice providers.
Emotional & Spiritual Support
How well the hospice team provided emotional and spiritual support
89% 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
89% 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
72% 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
80% 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
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
74% 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
80% 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
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
99.6%
Natl: 98.3%
Comprehensive Pain Assessment
Patients with pain who received a comprehensive pain assessment
99.8%
Natl: 94.8%
Dyspnea Screening
Patients screened for shortness of breath upon admission
99.5%
Natl: 99.0%
Dyspnea Treatment
Patients with dyspnea who received treatment within 24 hours
98.7%
Natl: 97.4%
Opioid Bowel Regimen
Patients on opioids who were offered a bowel regimen
99.4%
Natl: 93.2%
Composite Process Score
Composite measure of all hospice care process quality measures
98.3%
Natl: 91.6%
Hospice Care Index
Composite quality score with 10 sub-measures
Overall HCI Score
National average: 8.8/10
Sanford 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.
71.5% of Sanford 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
96%
Natl: 89.5%
Nurse Care Minutes
Average nurse care minutes per routine home care day
38.9
Natl: 13.4
Weekend Nursing
Percentage of skilled nursing minutes on weekends
24.4%
Natl: 9.2%
Gaps in Nursing Visits
Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits
38.8%
Natl: 55.4%
Early Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive within 3 days
4%
Natl: 7.2%
Late Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive after enrollment
15.2%
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
1%
Natl: 2.3%
CHC/GIP Days
Continuous home care & general inpatient days as share of total
0.8%
Natl: 0.6%
Per-Beneficiary Spending
Average Medicare spending per hospice beneficiary
$7,437
Natl: $16,971
Patient Population
Primary diagnoses of hospice patients
Sanford Hospice's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with cancer (36%), followed by other conditions (23%), cardiovascular disease (15%), dementia (10%), respiratory disease (10%), stroke (6%). 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 Hospice delivers 35% of its care in patients' homes, with 20% in inpatient hospice settings, 18% in skilled nursing settings, 11% in nursing facility settings, 5% 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 78 patients per day.
Patient's Home
Inpatient Hospice
Skilled Nursing
Nursing Facility
Assisted Living
Doctors at Sanford Hospice
20 affiliated physicians
Dr. Laura Huggins, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Jennifer Schriever, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Brett Van Kley, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Derek Lee, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Todd Sorensen, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Dustin Snelling, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Keely Hack, MD
Hematology/oncology
Dr. Zachary Nolz, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Stephan Chesley, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Kathy Geraets, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Jay Allison, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Christopher Boschee, DO
Family Practice
+ 8 more physicians
Dr. Ukamaka Nwadibia, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Diane Kennedy, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Myles Zephier
Family Practice
Dr. Jeffry Meyer, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Luke Fuhrman, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Sara Ruter
Internal Medicine
Dr. Mary Schmitz, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Ryan Lewis, MD
Hospice/palliative Care
Patient Reviews
Reviews and ratings from patients
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Sanford Hospice
What is the CMS rating for Sanford Hospice?
Sanford 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 Hospice primarily treat?
Sanford Hospice's patient population includes cancer (36%), other conditions (23%), cardiovascular disease (15%), dementia (10%), respiratory disease (10%), stroke (6%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.
Where does Sanford Hospice provide care?
Sanford Hospice provides care in patient's home (35%), inpatient hospice (20%), skilled nursing (18%), nursing facility (11%), assisted living (5%).
How large is Sanford Hospice?
Sanford Hospice serves an average of 78 patients per day and covers 105 ZIP codes in its service area.
How many doctors are affiliated with Sanford Hospice?
20 physicians are affiliated with Sanford Hospice.
Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·