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 top rating.

Hospice of Health First has 250 to 300 patients at any time. It maintains 16 inpatient beds between Cape Canaveral Hospital and Health First’s William Childs Hospice House. Most patients choose to and are able to receive care at home.

“You want the highest quality 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 agencies in the state of Florida, but only one that received 5 stars from Medicare, and that is a rating that comes from families of patients in our care.”

The star rating is based on data collected by 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 past assessments of people like themselves. The CAHPS Hospice Survey is a 47-item questionnaire that’s completed by family members of hospice patients.

The statistics spotlight Hospice of Health First’s commitment to families. One quality metric calculates a percentage of families reporting a visit from a nurse (or doctor) and/or social worker on at least two of a patient’s last three days of life. For Hospice of Health First, that percentage is 82.3% of families. The state average is 47.9%.

“We have a team approach at Hospice of Health First,” said Dr. Ruddy Ruiz, Medical Director of Hospice of Health First. “Our team includes physicians, nurses, hospice aides and more, and we’ve worked tirelessly to refine processes and educational materials to help our patients and families understand their care. This 5-star rating highlights the trust and confidence our community has in our care and services.” 

READ the full feature in Space Coast Daily HERE.