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Hospice Care

Sharp Hospicecare

Average3-Star CMS Rating

4000 Ruffin Road, San Diego, CA 92123

For-Profit
34 Years Certified
283 Patients/Day

Contact Sharp Hospicecare

(619) 667-1900Get Directions

4000 Ruffin Road
San Diego, CA 92123

About Sharp Hospicecare

Hospice overview and quality summary

Sharp Hospicecare is a for-profit hospice care provider in San Diego, CA, serving patients and families in San Diego County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 1992, Sharp Hospicecare has provided 34 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.

Sharp Hospicecare serves an average of 283 patients per day, covering 109 ZIP codes across its service area. 85% of care is delivered in patients' homes, consistent with the hospice philosophy of enabling comfort care in familiar surroundings.

CMS has assigned Sharp Hospicecare 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. 5 physicians are affiliated with this hospice.

When choosing hospice care in San Diego, CA, 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

Star Rating3/5 Stars
OwnershipFor-Profit
Certified Since1992
CountySan Diego
Avg Daily Census283 patients
Service Area109 ZIP codes
HCI Score10/10
Affiliated Doctors5

Caregiver Satisfaction

CAHPS Hospice Survey results from bereaved family caregivers

3of 5

Average

CMS CAHPS Hospice Star Rating

Sharp Hospicecare 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 San Diego, CA compare hospice providers.

Emotional & Spiritual Support

How well the hospice team provided emotional and spiritual support

Average
92%

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

Average
90%

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

Above Average
78%

78% of caregivers gave Sharp Hospicecare a top rating for help with symptoms, above the national average of 74%.

Team Communication

How well the hospice team communicated with the family

Average
82%

82% 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

Average
77%

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

Average
76%

76% 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

Average
83%

83% 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

Above Average
87%

87% of caregivers gave Sharp Hospicecare 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

99.9%

Natl: 99.5%

Average

Beliefs & Values Addressed

Patients whose beliefs and values were addressed in the plan of care

97.1%

Natl: 98.3%

Average

Pain Screening

Patients screened for pain upon hospice admission

97.8%

Natl: 98.3%

Average

Comprehensive Pain Assessment

Patients with pain who received a comprehensive pain assessment

91.7%

Natl: 94.8%

Below Average

Dyspnea Screening

Patients screened for shortness of breath upon admission

95.9%

Natl: 99.0%

Below Average

Dyspnea Treatment

Patients with dyspnea who received treatment within 24 hours

96.8%

Natl: 97.4%

Average

Opioid Bowel Regimen

Patients on opioids who were offered a bowel regimen

100.0%

Natl: 93.2%

Above Average

Composite Process Score

Composite measure of all hospice care process quality measures

88.3%

Natl: 91.6%

Below Average

Hospice Care Index

Composite quality score with 10 sub-measures

10/10

Overall HCI Score

National average: 8.8/10

Sharp Hospicecare'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.

55.7% of Sharp Hospicecare'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

93.5%

Natl: 89.5%

50th pctl

Nurse Care Minutes

Average nurse care minutes per routine home care day

14.1

Natl: 13.4

69th pctl

Weekend Nursing

Percentage of skilled nursing minutes on weekends

9.6%

Natl: 9.2%

67th pctl

Gaps in Nursing Visits

Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits

68.7%

Natl: 55.4%

72th pctl

Early Live Discharges

Patients discharged alive within 3 days

11.2%

Natl: 7.2%

80th pctl

Late Live Discharges

Patients discharged alive after enrollment

33.2%

Natl: 40%

39th pctl

Burdensome Transitions (Type 1)

Hospice-to-acute-care transitions near death

5.8%

Natl: 8%

43th pctl

Burdensome Transitions (Type 2)

Acute care admissions near death

0%

Natl: 2.3%

45th pctl

CHC/GIP Days

Continuous home care & general inpatient days as share of total

1.4%

Natl: 0.6%

92th pctl

Per-Beneficiary Spending

Average Medicare spending per hospice beneficiary

$17,434

Natl: $16,971

47th pctl

Patient Population

Primary diagnoses of hospice patients

Sharp Hospicecare's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with dementia (32%), followed by cancer (28%), cardiovascular disease (14%), other conditions (12%), respiratory disease (8%), stroke (7%). Dementia care requires specialized communication techniques and behavioral support, which experienced hospice teams are trained to provide.

Dementia32%
Cancer28%
Cardiovascular Disease14%
Other Conditions12%
Respiratory Disease8%
Stroke7%

Care Settings

Where hospice care is delivered

Sharp Hospicecare delivers 85% of its care in patients' homes, with 7% in assisted living settings, 4% in nursing facility settings, 3% in inpatient hospice settings. The high proportion of home-based care aligns with the hospice philosophy of enabling patients to receive comfort care in familiar surroundings with family nearby. The hospice serves an average of 283 patients per day.

Patient's Home

85%

Assisted Living

7%

Nursing Facility

4%

Inpatient Hospice

3%

Patient Reviews

Reviews and ratings from patients

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Frequently Asked Questions

About Sharp Hospicecare

What is the CMS rating for Sharp Hospicecare?

Sharp Hospicecare 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 Sharp Hospicecare primarily treat?

Sharp Hospicecare's patient population includes dementia (32%), cancer (28%), cardiovascular disease (14%), other conditions (12%), respiratory disease (8%), stroke (7%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.

Where does Sharp Hospicecare provide care?

Sharp Hospicecare provides care in patient's home (85%), assisted living (7%), nursing facility (4%), inpatient hospice (3%).

How large is Sharp Hospicecare?

Sharp Hospicecare serves an average of 283 patients per day and covers 109 ZIP codes in its service area.

How many doctors are affiliated with Sharp Hospicecare?

5 physicians are affiliated with Sharp Hospicecare.

Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·