Gundersen Palmer Lutheran Hosp and Clinics-Hospice

Non-Profit34 years operating

West Union, Iowa — Fayette County

Gundersen Palmer Lutheran Hosp and Clinics-Hospice is an established non-profit hospice provider that scores well above average overall, ranking in the 72nd percentile in Iowa. They perform particularly well in end-of-life presence, clinical care practices, overall care quality indicators, and family communication, meeting or exceeding state benchmarks in these areas. When speaking with them, ask about their approach to after-hours care, how they communicate changes in a patient's condition, and what support they offer to caregivers.

Wayven Quality Score

Excellent

Better than 72% of hospices in Iowa

Independent & data-driven — no paid listings

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Quality breakdown

Three pillars that make up the overall score. Tap to explore individual measures.

1 measure not reported

Visits in last days of life92.6

State avg: 73.6

Pain screening100

State avg: 95.2

Pain assessment100

State avg: 95.2

Breathing difficulty screening100

State avg: 95.2

Breathing difficulty treatment100

State avg: 95.2

Bowel care for pain medication patientsNot reported

Note: Family satisfaction scores are from the Iowa CAHPS Hospice Survey (state-level, not provider-specific). Providers in this state share these benchmarks.

Overall rating (9-10)85
Would recommend88
Timely care80
Team communication83
Respect93
Emotional & spiritual support93
Symptom management75
Caregiver training77
Treatment preferences documented100

State avg: 95.2

Beliefs & values addressed98.8

State avg: 95.2

10

HCI Score

out of 10

72%

Percentile

in Iowa

#20

State Rank

in Iowa

HCI composite score10

State avg: 9.6

HIS composite score98.8

State avg: 95.2

Continuous care / inpatient days0.6
Gaps in nursing visits23.7
Nurse care minutes per day14.1

About this provider

Gundersen Palmer Lutheran Hosp and Clinics-Hospice performs strongly in Process Integrity, placing them among the better providers in Iowa.

Ask about their on-call availability and how they support families between scheduled visits.

Based on federal CMS quality data, updated February 2026.

Hospice Care Index Components

Overall HCI score
10 / 10
Continuous care / inpatient days
0.6
Gaps in nursing visits
23.7
Nurse care minutes per day
14.1
Visits near death
100
Per-beneficiary spending
$14113

Process Quality Measures (HIS)

Composite score
98.8
Treatment preferences
100
Beliefs & values
98.8
Pain screening
100
Pain assessment
100
Dyspnea screening
100
Dyspnea treatment
100
Opioid bowel care
Not reported

Utilization & Operations

Visits in last days of life
92.6%
Nurse care minutes / day
14.1
Per-beneficiary spending
$14113
Avg daily census
23 patients

Patient Mix

Cancer
21%
Dementia
Not reported
Heart disease
49%
Respiratory
11%
Stroke
Not reported

Data Sources

CCN
161521
CMS Region
7

All scores come directly from CMS. Providers cannot edit or influence their profile on this site.

Contact

West Union, IA 52175

(563) 422-6267