Des Moines Senior AdvisorMercyone Des Moines Hospice is a Medicare-certified hospice based at 500 Sw 7TH St Ste 104 in Des Moines, IA 50319. It has been certified since 1986. It cares for about 35 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 1 area where it is worse than the Iowa average, starting with patients discharged alive within 7 days.
What is Mercyone Des Moines Hospice's Medicare record?
| Hospice | Mercyone Des Moines Hospice |
|---|---|
| Address | 500 Sw 7TH St Ste 104, Des Moines, IA 50319 |
| Phone | (515) 643-8383 |
| Medicare provider number (CCN) | 161506 |
| Ownership | Non-Profit |
| Medicare-certified since | 05/16/1986 |
How does Mercyone Des Moines Hospice score on Medicare's Hospice Care Index?
Mercyone Des Moines Hospice 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 2 of the indicators below and worse on 1.
| Indicator | Mercyone Des Moines Hospice | Iowa average | U.S. average | vs. Iowa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaps in nursing visits longer than 7 days (lower is better) | 32.7% | 33.1% | 52.4% | About the same |
| Patients discharged alive within 7 days (lower is better) | 13.3% | 7.7% | 7.3% | Worse |
| Patients discharged alive after 180 days or more (lower is better) | 16.7% | 35.5% | 37.4% | Better |
| Live discharge followed by a hospital stay and readmission to hospice (lower is better) | 0% | 4.6% | 8.5% | Better |
| 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 | 18.7 min | 19.6 min | 19.9 min | About the same |
| Share of skilled nursing minutes given on weekends | 11.6% | 8.9% | 9.6% | About the same |
| Patients visited by a nurse in the last 3 days of life | 97.5% | 96.2% | 89.3% | About the same |
Separately, 99% of its patients received all seven recommended care steps at admission (Iowa average 97.2%) and 79.3% 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 Mercyone Des Moines Hospice?
83% of family caregivers said they would definitely recommend Mercyone Des Moines Hospice; the Iowa average is 88%. The survey goes to the family member who was the main caregiver, after the patient has died.
| Survey question | Mercyone Des Moines Hospice | Iowa average | U.S. average | vs. Iowa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team always communicated well | 80% | 83% | 82% | Worse |
| Team always provided timely help | 71% | 80% | 78% | Worse |
| Team always treated the patient with respect | 93% | 93% | 91% | About the same |
| Right amount of emotional and spiritual support | 92% | 93% | 91% | About the same |
| Patient always got help for pain and symptoms | 72% | 77% | 76% | Worse |
| Caregivers rated the hospice 9 or 10 | 82% | 86% | 83% | Worse |
| Would definitely recommend the hospice | 83% | 88% | 85% | Worse |
Where does Mercyone Des Moines Hospice deliver care, and to whom?
71% of mercyone des moines hospice's care is delivered at home and its largest patient group by diagnosis is cancer (31%). 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 |
|---|---|
| At home | 71% |
| In a nursing facility | 15% |
| In a skilled nursing facility | 10% |
| In assisted living | 4% |
| Primary diagnosis | Share of patients |
|---|---|
| Cancer | 31% |
| Heart and circulatory disease | 20% |
| Other conditions | 18% |
| Dementia | 15% |
| Respiratory disease | 13% |
Which Des Moines-area ZIP codes does Mercyone Des Moines Hospice serve?
Mercyone Des Moines Hospice tells Medicare it serves 50 ZIP codes in Des Moines and Polk, Dallas, Warren, Jasper, Madison and Guthrie counties.
- 50003
- 50009
- 50021
- 50023
- 50032
- 50047
- 50054
- 50061
- 50063
- 50070
- 50072
- 50111
- 50118
- 50125
- 50131
- 50139
- 50164
- 50166
- 50168
- 50169
- 50170
- 50208
- 50211
- 50220
- 50226
- 50229
- 50232
- 50237
- 50261
- 50263
- 50265
- 50266
- 50273
- 50309
- 50310
- 50311
- 50312
- 50313
- 50314
- 50315
- 50316
- 50317
- 50319
- 50320
- 50321
- 50322
- 50323
- 50324
- 50325
- 50327
What should you ask Mercyone Des Moines Hospice before choosing it?
Ask what happens in the first week
13.3% 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 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.
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.
Ask how fast they can admit
Ask how soon after the call a nurse can come out, including evenings and weekends, and how quickly medications and equipment arrive.
Which other hospices serve Des Moines, IA?
- Everystep — Hospice Care Index 10 of 10
Last verified: November 2026, against the Medicare hospice data release dated 2026-08-07.
Common questions
Is Mercyone Des Moines Hospice Medicare-certified?
Yes. Mercyone Des Moines Hospice is certified by Medicare under provider number 161506 and has been since 1986.
What is Mercyone Des Moines Hospice's Hospice Care Index score?
10 out of 10 in the current Medicare data. The Iowa average is 9.5.
How large is Mercyone Des Moines Hospice?
It cares for about 35 patients on an average day.
