Star ratings provide customers with a quick and easy way to compare hospices
Hospice of Health First cares for 250 to 300 patients at any one time. It has 16 inpatient beds at Cape Canaveral Hospital and Health First’s William Childs Hospice House.
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Hospice of Health First is now a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 5-Star Hospice, the only licensed hospice in Florida with the federal agency’s highest rating.
Hospice of Health First cares for 250 to 300 patients at any one time. It has 16 inpatient beds at Cape Canaveral Hospital and Health First’s William Childs Hospice House. Most patients want and can be cared for at home.
“You want the best possible care for your loved one during this time,” says Valerie Kenworthy, vice president of outpatient operations for Community Health Services at Health First.
“There are 42 licensed hospice facilities in the state of Florida, but only one has received a 5-star rating from Medicare, and that rating comes from the families of the patients in our care.”
The star rating is based on data collected through the agency’s Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers & Systems (CAHPS) hospice survey.
According to the agency, the star ratings provide customers with a quick and easy way to compare hospices based on previous reviews from people like themselves. The CAHPS Hospice Survey is a questionnaire with 47 questions The form is filled out by the family members of the hospice patients.
Many of the questions address how hospice staff communicated with families, how they prepared them to care for their loved ones, and how often medical staff—doctors, nurses, social workers, and more—were present to provide assistance at critical moments.
“This reflects the care we provide to patients and their families,” Kenworthy said, “and many, many care teams contributed to this top rating.”
Hospice of Health First maintains two inpatient units, at Cape Canaveral Hospital and William Childs Hospice House, but the statistics underscore Hospice of Health First’s commitment to families.
One quality measure calculates the percentage of families who report a visit from a nurse (or doctor) and/or social worker on at least two of the last three days of a patient’s life. At Hospice of Health First, this percentage is 82.3% of families. The national average is 47.9%.
“We take a team approach at Hospice of Health First,” said Dr. Ruddy Ruiz, medical director of Hospice of Health First.
“Our team includes doctors, nurses, hospice aides and more, and we have worked tirelessly to refine processes and educational materials to help our patients and families better understand their care. This 5-star rating underscores our community’s confidence in our care and services.”
One of the family members who may have responded to the CAHPS hospice survey is Karen Martin. She and her husband, James – both military veterans – retired to Brevard County nearly three decades ago. James was recently diagnosed with cancer and entered hospice care toward the end of his life. He died the next day.
Despite the short stay, Karen Martin contacted some of her husband’s military colleagues and friends, and together they were able to make a donation of $1,200 on behalf of the Brothers of the 819.th Red Horse Squadron and Friends of James Martin to William Childs Hospice House via Health First Foundation.
“When I entered William Childs Hospice House, I felt the warmth and care shown to me and my husband, which gave me comfort,” Karen Martin recalled earlier this year.
“He was only in the hospice for one day, but he was respected and comfortable. They showed genuine compassion and let me know that they cared about his well-being.
“They took care of both of us.”
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services updates the CAHPS Hospice Survey star ratings twice a year.
Founded in 1995, Health First is Brevard County’s not-for-profit community health system. Its fully integrated care network (IDN) includes health plans, hospitals, a multi-specialty medical group, and outpatient and wellness services.
As a local, nonprofit organization, Health First is committed to investing in our community. In 2022, Health First provided more than $220 million in community support. For more information about Health First and how we give back to our community, visit HF.org/givesback.
If you are considering hospice care or would like to learn more about Hospice of Health First’s 5-star rating, visit HF.org/5star.