Des Moines Senior AdvisorGentiva is a Medicare-certified hospice based at 5399 Chimra Road in Panora, IA 50216. It has been certified since 2005. It cares for about 17 patients on an average day, making it a small hospice. It scores 9 out of 10 on Medicare's Hospice Care Index; the Iowa average is 9.5. The index flags 4 areas where it is worse than the Iowa average, starting with gaps in nursing visits longer than 7 days.
What is Gentiva's Medicare record?
| Hospice | Gentiva |
|---|---|
| Address | 5399 Chimra Road, Panora, IA 50216 |
| Phone | (515) 276-6696 |
| Medicare provider number (CCN) | 161575 |
| Ownership | For-Profit |
| Medicare-certified since | 08/01/2005 |
How does Gentiva score on Medicare's Hospice Care Index?
Gentiva scores 9 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 1 of the indicators below and worse on 4.
| Indicator | Gentiva | Iowa average | U.S. average | vs. Iowa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaps in nursing visits longer than 7 days (lower is better) | 44.9% | 33.1% | 52.4% | Worse |
| Patients discharged alive within 7 days (lower is better) | 14.3% | 7.7% | 7.3% | Worse |
| Patients discharged alive after 180 days or more (lower is better) | 19% | 35.5% | 37.4% | Better |
| Live discharge followed by a hospital stay and readmission to hospice (lower is better) | 4.8% | 4.6% | 8.5% | About the same |
| Live discharge followed by death in hospital (lower is better) | 4.8% | 1.3% | 2.1% | Worse |
| Nurse minutes per routine home care day | 14.1 min | 19.6 min | 19.9 min | Worse |
| Share of skilled nursing minutes given on weekends | 8.5% | 8.9% | 9.6% | About the same |
| Patients visited by a nurse in the last 3 days of life | 97.4% | 96.2% | 89.3% | About the same |
Separately, 92.5% of its patients received all seven recommended care steps at admission (Iowa average 97.2%) and 88.2% 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 Gentiva?
73% of family caregivers said they would definitely recommend Gentiva; the Iowa average is 88%. The survey goes to the family member who was the main caregiver, after the patient has died.
| Survey question | Gentiva | Iowa average | U.S. average | vs. Iowa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team always communicated well | 83% | 83% | 82% | About the same |
| Team always provided timely help | 86% | 80% | 78% | Better |
| Team always treated the patient with respect | 95% | 93% | 91% | About the same |
| Right amount of emotional and spiritual support | 93% | 93% | 91% | About the same |
| Patient always got help for pain and symptoms | 73% | 77% | 76% | Worse |
| Caregivers rated the hospice 9 or 10 | 81% | 86% | 83% | Worse |
| Would definitely recommend the hospice | 73% | 88% | 85% | Worse |
Where does Gentiva deliver care, and to whom?
53% of gentiva's care is delivered in assisted living and its largest patient group by diagnosis is dementia (33%). 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 assisted living | 53% |
| In a nursing facility | 32% |
| In a skilled nursing facility | 8% |
| At home | 7% |
| Primary diagnosis | Share of patients |
|---|---|
| Dementia | 33% |
| Stroke | 25% |
| Heart and circulatory disease | 21% |
Which Des Moines-area ZIP codes does Gentiva serve?
Gentiva tells Medicare it serves 36 ZIP codes in Des Moines and Polk, Dallas, Warren, Jasper, Madison and Guthrie counties.
- 50003
- 50009
- 50021
- 50023
- 50032
- 50035
- 50063
- 50072
- 50109
- 50115
- 50125
- 50131
- 50146
- 50160
- 50211
- 50216
- 50220
- 50229
- 50257
- 50263
- 50265
- 50266
- 50273
- 50309
- 50310
- 50311
- 50312
- 50313
- 50314
- 50315
- 50316
- 50317
- 50320
- 50322
- 50323
- 50325
What should you ask Gentiva before choosing it?
Ask how often the nurse visits
44.9% of Gentiva'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 what happens in the first week
14.3% of its live discharges came within a week of enrollment (Iowa average 7.7%). Ask what the admission visit covers and how they confirm hospice is the right fit before enrolling.
Ask how long nursing visits last
Its nurses average 14.1 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 where inpatient care happens
When symptoms cannot be managed at home, hospice provides short inpatient stays. Ask which facility they use and how far it is from the family.
Last verified: November 2026, against the Medicare hospice data release dated 2026-08-07.
Common questions
Is Gentiva Medicare-certified?
Yes. Gentiva is certified by Medicare under provider number 161575 and has been since 2005.
What is Gentiva's Hospice Care Index score?
9 out of 10 in the current Medicare data. The Iowa average is 9.5.
How large is Gentiva?
It cares for about 17 patients on an average day.
