Des Moines Senior AdvisorSt Croix Hospice is a Medicare-certified hospice based at 1555 Se Delaware Suite Q in Ankeny, IA 50021. It has been certified since 2007. It cares for about 113 patients on an average day, making it a mid-sized hospice. It scores 10 out of 10 on Medicare's Hospice Care Index; the Iowa average is 9.5. Family caregivers rate it 4 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 St Croix Hospice's Medicare record?
| Hospice | St Croix Hospice |
|---|---|
| Address | 1555 Se Delaware Suite Q, Ankeny, IA 50021 |
| Phone | (515) 276-2700 |
| Medicare provider number (CCN) | 161583 |
| Ownership | For-Profit |
| Medicare-certified since | 10/05/2007 |
How does St Croix Hospice score on Medicare's Hospice Care Index?
St Croix 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 0 of the indicators below and worse on 3.
| Indicator | St Croix Hospice | Iowa average | U.S. average | vs. Iowa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaps in nursing visits longer than 7 days (lower is better) | 36.4% | 33.1% | 52.4% | Worse |
| Patients discharged alive within 7 days (lower is better) | 5.4% | 7.7% | 7.3% | About the same |
| Patients discharged alive after 180 days or more (lower is better) | 56.9% | 35.5% | 37.4% | Worse |
| Live discharge followed by a hospital stay and readmission to hospice (lower is better) | 6.9% | 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 | 14.7 min | 19.6 min | 19.9 min | Worse |
| Share of skilled nursing minutes given on weekends | 9.6% | 8.9% | 9.6% | About the same |
| Patients visited by a nurse in the last 3 days of life | 96.8% | 96.2% | 89.3% | About the same |
Separately, 99.8% of its patients received all seven recommended care steps at admission (Iowa average 97.2%) and 85.9% 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 St Croix Hospice?
89% of family caregivers said they would definitely recommend St Croix 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 | St Croix Hospice | Iowa average | U.S. average | vs. Iowa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team always communicated well | 81% | 83% | 82% | About the same |
| Team always provided timely help | 79% | 80% | 78% | About the same |
| Team always treated the patient with respect | 92% | 93% | 91% | About the same |
| Right amount of emotional and spiritual support | 94% | 93% | 91% | About the same |
| Patient always got help for pain and symptoms | 74% | 77% | 76% | Worse |
| Caregivers rated the hospice 9 or 10 | 88% | 86% | 83% | About the same |
| Would definitely recommend the hospice | 89% | 88% | 85% | About the same |
Where does St Croix Hospice deliver care, and to whom?
54% of st croix hospice's care is delivered in a nursing facility and its largest patient group by diagnosis is dementia (28%). 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 | 54% |
| In assisted living | 29% |
| At home | 17% |
| Primary diagnosis | Share of patients |
|---|---|
| Dementia | 28% |
| Heart and circulatory disease | 25% |
| Other conditions | 15% |
| Cancer | 13% |
| Stroke | 13% |
| Respiratory disease | 8% |
Which Des Moines-area ZIP codes does St Croix Hospice serve?
St Croix Hospice tells Medicare it serves 64 ZIP codes in Des Moines and Polk, Dallas, Warren, Jasper, Madison and Guthrie counties.
- 50001
- 50002
- 50003
- 50009
- 50021
- 50023
- 50028
- 50032
- 50035
- 50047
- 50048
- 50054
- 50058
- 50063
- 50069
- 50070
- 50073
- 50109
- 50111
- 50118
- 50125
- 50131
- 50135
- 50137
- 50139
- 50146
- 50161
- 50164
- 50166
- 50168
- 50169
- 50170
- 50208
- 50210
- 50211
- 50216
- 50220
- 50226
- 50228
- 50232
- 50233
- 50237
- 50244
- 50261
- 50263
- 50265
- 50266
- 50273
- 50309
- 50310
- 50311
- 50312
- 50313
- 50314
- 50315
- 50316
- 50317
- 50320
- 50321
- 50322
- 50323
- 50324
- 50325
- 50327
What should you ask St Croix Hospice before choosing it?
Ask how often the nurse visits
36.4% of St Croix Hospice'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
56.9% 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 14.7 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 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.
Last verified: November 2026, against the Medicare hospice data release dated 2026-08-07.
Common questions
Is St Croix Hospice Medicare-certified?
Yes. St Croix Hospice is certified by Medicare under provider number 161583 and has been since 2007.
What is St Croix Hospice's Hospice Care Index score?
10 out of 10 in the current Medicare data. The Iowa average is 9.5.
How large is St Croix Hospice?
It cares for about 113 patients on an average day.
