About Southerncare South Bend
Hospice overview and quality summary
Southerncare South Bend is a for-profit hospice care provider in Mishawaka, IN, serving patients and families in St. Joseph County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 2003, Southerncare South Bend has provided 23 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.
Southerncare South Bend serves an average of 244 patients per day, covering 256 ZIP codes across its service area. 47% of care is delivered in patients' homes, consistent with the hospice philosophy of enabling comfort care in familiar surroundings.
CMS has assigned Southerncare South Bend 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. 12 physicians are affiliated with this hospice.
When choosing hospice care in Mishawaka, IN, 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
Southerncare South Bend 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 Mishawaka, IN 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
91% 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
79% 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
74% 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
70% 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
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
81% of caregivers gave a top rating for would recommend, below 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
99.9%
Natl: 98.3%
Pain Screening
Patients screened for pain upon hospice admission
99.0%
Natl: 98.3%
Comprehensive Pain Assessment
Patients with pain who received a comprehensive pain assessment
99.5%
Natl: 94.8%
Dyspnea Screening
Patients screened for shortness of breath upon admission
99.9%
Natl: 99.0%
Dyspnea Treatment
Patients with dyspnea who received treatment within 24 hours
99.9%
Natl: 97.4%
Opioid Bowel Regimen
Patients on opioids who were offered a bowel regimen
99.6%
Natl: 93.2%
Composite Process Score
Composite measure of all hospice care process quality measures
98.2%
Natl: 91.6%
Hospice Care Index
Composite quality score with 10 sub-measures
Overall HCI Score
National average: 8.8/10
Southerncare South Bend'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.
65.8% of Southerncare South Bend'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
93.8%
Natl: 89.5%
Nurse Care Minutes
Average nurse care minutes per routine home care day
12.6
Natl: 13.4
Weekend Nursing
Percentage of skilled nursing minutes on weekends
7%
Natl: 9.2%
Gaps in Nursing Visits
Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits
28.9%
Natl: 55.4%
Early Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive within 3 days
4.5%
Natl: 7.2%
Late Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive after enrollment
46.1%
Natl: 40%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 1)
Hospice-to-acute-care transitions near death
9.8%
Natl: 8%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 2)
Acute care admissions near death
2.4%
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
$18,185
Natl: $16,971
Patient Population
Primary diagnoses of hospice patients
Southerncare South Bend's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with cardiovascular disease (35%), followed by dementia (17%), cancer (17%), respiratory disease (16%), other conditions (10%), stroke (9%). Heart failure is one of the leading diagnoses for hospice admission nationwide, and a high proportion of cardiac patients is typical of most hospice programs.
Care Settings
Where hospice care is delivered
Southerncare South Bend delivers 47% of its care in patients' homes, with 39% in nursing facility settings, 12% in assisted living 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 244 patients per day.
Patient's Home
Nursing Facility
Assisted Living
Skilled Nursing
Doctors at Southerncare South Bend
12 affiliated physicians
Dr. Erin Vicari, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Susan Moore Riesbeck, DO
Geriatric Medicine
Dr. Kristine Teodori, DO
Internal Medicine
Dr. John Thomas, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Lance Washington, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. David Mares, MD
Pulmonary Disease
Dr. Barry Mathison, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Garry Brady, DO
General Practice
Dr. William Li, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Daniel Anzaldua, MD
Nephrology
Dr. James Reis, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Havishakrishna Sarma, DO
Internal Medicine
Patient Reviews
Reviews and ratings from patients
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Southerncare South Bend
What is the CMS rating for Southerncare South Bend?
Southerncare South Bend 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 Southerncare South Bend primarily treat?
Southerncare South Bend's patient population includes cardiovascular disease (35%), dementia (17%), cancer (17%), respiratory disease (16%), other conditions (10%), stroke (9%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.
Where does Southerncare South Bend provide care?
Southerncare South Bend provides care in patient's home (47%), nursing facility (39%), assisted living (12%), skilled nursing (1%).
How large is Southerncare South Bend?
Southerncare South Bend serves an average of 244 patients per day and covers 256 ZIP codes in its service area.
How many doctors are affiliated with Southerncare South Bend?
12 physicians are affiliated with Southerncare South Bend.
Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·