State’s only five-star-rated Hospice organization

Day Kimball Health (DKH) announced today that Hospice & Palliative Care of Northeastern Connecticut, a service division of Day Kimball Healthcare at Home, has achieved a prestigious five-star rating by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for a second time. The CMS star ratings for hospice agencies are based on the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Hospice Family Caregiver Survey. 

As the sole organization in the state of Connecticut to receive a five-star rating, Hospice & Palliative Care of Northeastern Connecticut has demonstrated its commitment to delivering exceptional care and support to patients and their families. This accomplishment places the agency among the top 11 percent of all hospices nationwide. Of the more than two thousand eligible hospices, only 236 were awarded the five-star distinction.

“We are immensely proud of the exceptional care and support our hospice team provides, and this five-star rating from CMS is a reflection of our commitment to excellence in end-of-life care,” said Renee Smith, vice president, Post-Acute Services, Day Kimball Health. “We remain committed to ensuring that every patient and family we serve receives the highest level of comfort, dignity, and compassion during their hospice journey."

The star ratings are calculated from data collected through the CAHPS Hospice Survey, a comprehensive 47-question survey administered via mail and telephone and completed by family caregivers of patients who received hospice care before their passing. The survey assesses various aspects of care and support provided by hospice agencies for eight publically reported CAHPS measures including communication with the family, timeliness of help, and treating the patient with respect amongst others. CMS updates the star ratings every other quarter to ensure the information remains current and relevant.

“Receiving the five-star rating from CMS is a testament to the dedication of our exceptional team at Hospice & Palliative Care of Northeastern Connecticut,” said Kyle Kramer, CEO of Day Kimball Healthcare. “We are honored to be recognized as a top hospice agency, and this achievement confirms our commitment to providing compassionate and comprehensive end-of-life care to our patients and their families.”

Hospice & Palliative Care of Northeastern Connecticut is a program of Day Kimball Homecare, a Medicare certified home health care agency licensed by the state of Connecticut and accredited by The Joint Commission. Its mission is to enhance the lives of individuals and families through a personalized plan of care that meets physical, psychosocial, spiritual and emotional needs throughout the end of life.

For more information on Hospice & Palliative Care of Northeastern Connecticut visit daykimball.org/athome.