About Unitypoint Hospice
Hospice overview and quality summary
Unitypoint Hospice is a nonprofit hospice care provider in Urbandale, IA, serving patients and families in Polk County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 1996, Unitypoint Hospice has provided 30 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.
Unitypoint Hospice serves an average of 114 patients per day, covering 135 ZIP codes across its service area. 61% of care is delivered in patients' homes, consistent with the hospice philosophy of enabling comfort care in familiar surroundings.
Unitypoint 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. 20 physicians are affiliated with this hospice.
When choosing hospice care in Urbandale, IA, 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
Unitypoint 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 Unitypoint Hospice among the higher-rated hospice providers serving families in Urbandale, IA.
Emotional & Spiritual Support
How well the hospice team provided emotional and spiritual support
90% 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
92% 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
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
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
79% 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
82% 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
87% of caregivers gave Unitypoint 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
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
100.0%
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
99.6%
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
99.7%
Natl: 91.6%
Hospice Care Index
Composite quality score with 10 sub-measures
Overall HCI Score
National average: 8.8/10
Unitypoint 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.
87.6% of Unitypoint 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
98.3%
Natl: 89.5%
Nurse Care Minutes
Average nurse care minutes per routine home care day
21.9
Natl: 13.4
Weekend Nursing
Percentage of skilled nursing minutes on weekends
11.3%
Natl: 9.2%
Gaps in Nursing Visits
Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits
19.5%
Natl: 55.4%
Early Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive within 3 days
6.4%
Natl: 7.2%
Late Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive after enrollment
30.4%
Natl: 40%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 1)
Hospice-to-acute-care transitions near death
3.2%
Natl: 8%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 2)
Acute care admissions near death
1.6%
Natl: 2.3%
CHC/GIP Days
Continuous home care & general inpatient days as share of total
0.2%
Natl: 0.6%
Per-Beneficiary Spending
Average Medicare spending per hospice beneficiary
$9,609
Natl: $16,971
Patient Population
Primary diagnoses of hospice patients
Unitypoint Hospice's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with other conditions (35%), followed by cancer (34%), cardiovascular disease (17%), respiratory disease (7%), dementia (5%), stroke (3%).
Care Settings
Where hospice care is delivered
Unitypoint Hospice delivers 61% of its care in patients' homes, with 28% in nursing facility settings, 7% in assisted living settings, 4% in inpatient hospice settings. The hospice serves an average of 114 patients per day.
Patient's Home
Nursing Facility
Assisted Living
Inpatient Hospice
Doctors at Unitypoint Hospice
20 affiliated physicians
Dr. Joshua Lukenbill, DO
Medical Oncology
Dr. Angela Knoblauch, DO
Internal Medicine
Dr. Nicholas Mancuso, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Ailey Brehmer, DO
Internal Medicine
Dr. Katherine Burns, DO
Internal Medicine
Dr. Daniel Buroker, MD
Medical Oncology
Dr. Robert Behrens, MD
Medical Oncology
Dr. Patrick Oben, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Jordan Peterson, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Stacey Neu, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Michael Oconner, DO
Internal Medicine
Dr. Brian Heineman, DO
Family Practice
+ 8 more physicians
Dr. Lazaro Rabang, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Andrew Bishop, DO
Internal Medicine
Dr. Molly Ropte, DO
Internal Medicine
Dr. Tyler Casey, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Rebecca Lachenmaier, MD
Hospice/palliative Care
Dr. John Carstensen, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Dale Grunewald, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Grant Peterson, MD
Internal Medicine
Patient Reviews
Reviews and ratings from patients
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Unitypoint Hospice
What is the CMS rating for Unitypoint Hospice?
Unitypoint 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 Unitypoint Hospice primarily treat?
Unitypoint Hospice's patient population includes other conditions (35%), cancer (34%), cardiovascular disease (17%), respiratory disease (7%), dementia (5%), stroke (3%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.
Where does Unitypoint Hospice provide care?
Unitypoint Hospice provides care in patient's home (61%), nursing facility (28%), assisted living (7%), inpatient hospice (4%).
How large is Unitypoint Hospice?
Unitypoint Hospice serves an average of 114 patients per day and covers 135 ZIP codes in its service area.
How many doctors are affiliated with Unitypoint Hospice?
20 physicians are affiliated with Unitypoint Hospice.
Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·