About Vna & Hospice Of Cooley Dickinson
Hospice overview and quality summary
Vna & Hospice Of Cooley Dickinson is a nonprofit hospice care provider in Northampton, MA, serving patients and families in Hampshire County and the surrounding area. Medicare certified since 1985, Vna & Hospice Of Cooley Dickinson has provided 41 years of end-of-life and palliative care to the community.
Vna & Hospice Of Cooley Dickinson serves an average of 59 patients per day, covering 43 ZIP codes across its service area. 81% of care is delivered in patients' homes, consistent with the hospice philosophy of enabling comfort care in familiar surroundings.
CMS has assigned Vna & Hospice Of Cooley Dickinson 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 Northampton, MA, 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
Vna & Hospice Of Cooley Dickinson 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 Northampton, MA 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
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
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
84% of caregivers gave Vna & Hospice Of Cooley Dickinson a top rating for team communication, above the national average of 81%.
Getting Timely Care
Whether the patient received help as soon as it was needed
73% 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
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
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
87% of caregivers gave Vna & Hospice Of Cooley Dickinson 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
98.2%
Natl: 98.3%
Comprehensive Pain Assessment
Patients with pain who received a comprehensive pain assessment
87.3%
Natl: 94.8%
Dyspnea Screening
Patients screened for shortness of breath upon admission
98.8%
Natl: 99.0%
Dyspnea Treatment
Patients with dyspnea who received treatment within 24 hours
96.7%
Natl: 97.4%
Opioid Bowel Regimen
Patients on opioids who were offered a bowel regimen
96.5%
Natl: 93.2%
Composite Process Score
Composite measure of all hospice care process quality measures
89.9%
Natl: 91.6%
Hospice Care Index
Composite quality score with 10 sub-measures
Overall HCI Score
National average: 8.8/10
Vna & Hospice Of Cooley Dickinson'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.
67.0% of Vna & Hospice Of Cooley Dickinson'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
94%
Natl: 89.5%
Nurse Care Minutes
Average nurse care minutes per routine home care day
15.5
Natl: 13.4
Weekend Nursing
Percentage of skilled nursing minutes on weekends
8.3%
Natl: 9.2%
Gaps in Nursing Visits
Stays with gaps in skilled nursing visits
35.4%
Natl: 55.4%
Early Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive within 3 days
5%
Natl: 7.2%
Late Live Discharges
Patients discharged alive after enrollment
27.5%
Natl: 40%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 1)
Hospice-to-acute-care transitions near death
5%
Natl: 8%
Burdensome Transitions (Type 2)
Acute care admissions near death
2.5%
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
$12,515
Natl: $16,971
Patient Population
Primary diagnoses of hospice patients
Vna & Hospice Of Cooley Dickinson's patient population is primarily composed of individuals with cancer (35%), followed by cardiovascular disease (17%), other conditions (17%), stroke (13%), dementia (11%), respiratory disease (7%). 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
Vna & Hospice Of Cooley Dickinson delivers 81% of its care in patients' homes, with 12% in skilled nursing settings, 7% in assisted living 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 59 patients per day.
Patient's Home
Skilled Nursing
Assisted Living
Doctors at Vna & Hospice Of Cooley Dickinson
20 affiliated physicians
Dr. Bart Soar, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Mark Bigda, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Sean Dacus, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Julie Sayre, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Elizabeth Coates, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Joshua Mintz, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Paul Sahd, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Albert Agomaa, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Jerald Feinland, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Jessica Dacus, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Eli Dibner-dunlap, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Steven Esrick, MD
Family Practice
+ 8 more physicians
Dr. Lorenver Po, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Ann Esrick, PA
Physician Assistant
Dr. Timothy Parsons, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Sarah Tsang, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Sarah Fletcher, NP
Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Kristin Rivera, DO
Family Practice
Dr. Yarima Santiago, MD
Family Practice
Dr. Julia Flum-stockwell, MD
Family Practice
Patient Reviews
Reviews and ratings from patients
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Vna & Hospice Of Cooley Dickinson
What is the CMS rating for Vna & Hospice Of Cooley Dickinson?
Vna & Hospice Of Cooley Dickinson 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 Vna & Hospice Of Cooley Dickinson primarily treat?
Vna & Hospice Of Cooley Dickinson's patient population includes cancer (35%), cardiovascular disease (17%), other conditions (17%), stroke (13%), dementia (11%), respiratory disease (7%). This reflects the hospice's experience managing these conditions.
Where does Vna & Hospice Of Cooley Dickinson provide care?
Vna & Hospice Of Cooley Dickinson provides care in patient's home (81%), skilled nursing (12%), assisted living (7%).
How large is Vna & Hospice Of Cooley Dickinson?
Vna & Hospice Of Cooley Dickinson serves an average of 59 patients per day and covers 43 ZIP codes in its service area.
How many doctors are affiliated with Vna & Hospice Of Cooley Dickinson?
20 physicians are affiliated with Vna & Hospice Of Cooley Dickinson.
Data source: CMS Hospice Compare · CAHPS Hospice Survey ·