Des Moines Senior AdvisorCare Initiatives Hospice - West Des Moines is a Medicare-certified hospice based at 7055 Vista Drive in West Des Moines, IA 50266. It has been certified since 2009. It cares for about 49 patients on an average day, making it a small hospice. It scores 10 out of 10 on Medicare's Hospice Care Index; the Iowa average is 9.5. Family caregivers rate it 3 out of 5 stars. The index flags 3 areas where it is worse than the Iowa average, starting with gaps in nursing visits longer than 7 days.
What is Care Initiatives Hospice - West Des Moines's Medicare record?
| Hospice | Care Initiatives Hospice - West Des Moines |
|---|---|
| Address | 7055 Vista Drive, West Des Moines, IA 50266 |
| Phone | (515) 223-3813 |
| Medicare provider number (CCN) | 161594 |
| Ownership | Other |
| Medicare-certified since | 10/15/2009 |
How does Care Initiatives Hospice - West Des Moines score on Medicare's Hospice Care Index?
Care Initiatives Hospice - West Des Moines scores 10 out of 10 on the Hospice Care Index, which counts how many of ten visit, discharge and staffing indicators a hospice meets. Against the Iowa average it is better on 0 of the indicators below and worse on 3.
| Indicator | Care Initiatives Hospice - West Des Moines | Iowa average | U.S. average | vs. Iowa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaps in nursing visits longer than 7 days (lower is better) | 59.8% | 33.1% | 52.4% | Worse |
| Patients discharged alive within 7 days (lower is better) | 8.3% | 7.7% | 7.3% | About the same |
| Patients discharged alive after 180 days or more (lower is better) | 51.4% | 35.5% | 37.4% | Worse |
| Live discharge followed by a hospital stay and readmission to hospice (lower is better) | 2.8% | 4.6% | 8.5% | About the same |
| Live discharge followed by death in hospital (lower is better) | 0% | 1.3% | 2.1% | About the same |
| Nurse minutes per routine home care day | 12.8 min | 19.6 min | 19.9 min | Worse |
| Share of skilled nursing minutes given on weekends | 7.5% | 8.9% | 9.6% | About the same |
| Patients visited by a nurse in the last 3 days of life | 94.8% | 96.2% | 89.3% | About the same |
Separately, 94.9% of its patients received all seven recommended care steps at admission (Iowa average 97.2%) and 63% were visited by a nurse or social worker on at least two of their last three days (Iowa average 73.1%).
What do families say about Care Initiatives Hospice - West Des Moines?
75% of family caregivers said they would definitely recommend Care Initiatives Hospice - West Des Moines; the Iowa average is 88%. The survey goes to the family member who was the main caregiver, after the patient has died.
| Survey question | Care Initiatives Hospice - West Des Moines | Iowa average | U.S. average | vs. Iowa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team always communicated well | 73% | 83% | 82% | Worse |
| Team always provided timely help | 74% | 80% | 78% | Worse |
| Team always treated the patient with respect | 86% | 93% | 91% | Worse |
| Right amount of emotional and spiritual support | 93% | 93% | 91% | About the same |
| Patient always got help for pain and symptoms | 63% | 77% | 76% | Worse |
| Caregivers rated the hospice 9 or 10 | 75% | 86% | 83% | Worse |
| Would definitely recommend the hospice | 75% | 88% | 85% | Worse |
Where does Care Initiatives Hospice - West Des Moines deliver care, and to whom?
56% of care initiatives hospice - west des moines's care is delivered in a nursing facility and its largest patient group by diagnosis is dementia (32%). It has provided levels of care beyond routine home visits, such as continuous care at home or inpatient stays, in the last three years.
| Where care is delivered | Share of patients |
|---|---|
| In a nursing facility | 56% |
| In assisted living | 35% |
| At home | 9% |
| Primary diagnosis | Share of patients |
|---|---|
| Dementia | 32% |
| Heart and circulatory disease | 28% |
| Cancer | 16% |
| Respiratory disease | 11% |
| Other conditions | 11% |
Which Des Moines-area ZIP codes does Care Initiatives Hospice - West Des Moines serve?
Care Initiatives Hospice - West Des Moines tells Medicare it serves 37 ZIP codes in Des Moines and Polk, Dallas, Warren, Jasper, Madison and Guthrie counties.
- 50003
- 50009
- 50021
- 50023
- 50026
- 50035
- 50047
- 50054
- 50073
- 50109
- 50111
- 50131
- 50139
- 50146
- 50208
- 50211
- 50216
- 50220
- 50226
- 50263
- 50265
- 50266
- 50277
- 50309
- 50310
- 50312
- 50313
- 50314
- 50315
- 50316
- 50317
- 50320
- 50322
- 50323
- 50324
- 50325
- 50327
What should you ask Care Initiatives Hospice - West Des Moines before choosing it?
Ask how often the nurse visits
59.8% of Care Initiatives Hospice - West Des Moines's patients went more than seven days without a nursing visit at some point, against 33.1% across Iowa. Ask for the planned visit schedule in writing and who decides when it changes.
Ask how eligibility is reviewed
51.4% of its live discharges came after six months or more of care (Iowa average 35.5%). Ask how often the doctor recertifies eligibility and what support is offered if a patient is discharged.
Ask how long nursing visits last
Its nurses average 12.8 minutes per routine care day, against 19.6 minutes across Iowa. Ask how long a typical visit lasts and whether the same nurse comes each time.
Ask what the family is expected to do
Hospice supports the family caregiver; it does not replace one. Ask how many aide visits a week are typical and what happens overnight.
Which other hospices serve West Des Moines, IA?
- Suncrest Hospice, LLC — Hospice Care Index 10 of 10
Last verified: November 2026, against the Medicare hospice data release dated 2026-08-07.
Common questions
Is Care Initiatives Hospice - West Des Moines Medicare-certified?
Yes. Care Initiatives Hospice - West Des Moines is certified by Medicare under provider number 161594 and has been since 2009.
What is Care Initiatives Hospice - West Des Moines's Hospice Care Index score?
10 out of 10 in the current Medicare data. The Iowa average is 9.5.
How large is Care Initiatives Hospice - West Des Moines?
It cares for about 49 patients on an average day.
