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EnglishHow Community Nurse Performs on Home Health and Hospice Quality Measures
Updated
Community Nurse reports strong performance on most publicly tracked home health and hospice quality measures, generally scoring at or above both national and Massachusetts averages. The agency, a not-for-profit serving southeastern Massachusetts since 1916, publishes these figures on its site and attributes them to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The clearest gaps appear in its star ratings: 4/5 for home health quality and 4/5 for family caregiver satisfaction in hospice, even where the underlying percentages are high.
Home Health Measures
The table below compares Community Nurse with national and state averages on the home health indicators the site reports.
| Measure | Community Nurse | National average | Massachusetts average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Care began in a timely manner | 100% | 96% | 96% |
| Medication list provided to next healthcare setting | 100% | 80.97% | 83.33% |
| Patients remained in the community after discharge | 95% | 77% | — |
| Would recommend agency to friends and family | 92% | 79% | 79% |
| Patients rate overall care | 92% | 85% | 84% |
| Team communication with patients | 93% | 86% | 84% |
Two results stand out. The medication-list handoff figure (100% vs. roughly 81% nationally) is the widest margin on the page, and it matters for patients moving between home health and another care setting, such as a hospital or rehab facility. The 95% "remained in the community" rate is also well above the 77% national average, which is relevant if avoiding institutional placement is a priority.
The star ratings shown are 4/5 for quality and 5/5 for patient satisfaction, so the summary ratings and the detailed percentages do not tell quite the same story—worth noting when comparing agencies.
Hospice Measures
Hospice results are reported from the family caregiver perspective.
| Measure | Community Nurse | National average | Massachusetts average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Willing to recommend this hospice | 91% | 85% | 85% |
| Treating patient with respect | 95% | 91% | 91% |
| Communication with family | 87% | 82% | 81% |
| Caregivers report getting timely help | 85% | 78% | 77% |
Every hospice measure exceeds both benchmarks, though by smaller margins than the home health handoff figure. Family caregiver satisfaction is rated 4/5.
How to Read These Numbers
- Source and vintage: The site attributes the data to CMS. It does not state the reporting period on the page, so confirm the current data on Medicare's Care Compare tool before relying on it for a decision.
- Averages are a floor, not a ranking: Beating the national average shows the agency is above typical performance, not that it leads every agency in the region.
- Match measures to your situation: If a family member is transitioning between settings, the medication-list and communication figures are the most relevant. If the goal is aging at home, the "remained in the community" rate carries more weight.
- Ask about the star ratings: Since the 4/5 quality rating sits alongside near-perfect percentages, ask the agency how the rating is calculated and which measures feed into it.
Verifying and Contacting
To check the figures independently, look up the agency by name in CMS Care Compare, which publishes home health and hospice quality data by agency. For service questions, the site lists a phone number (508-992-6278) and email ([email protected]); the page does not describe eligibility rules, insurance coverage, or service area beyond southeastern Massachusetts, so confirm those directly.