Des Moines Senior AdvisorUnitypoint Hospice is a Medicare-certified hospice based at 11333 Aurora Avenue in Urbandale, IA 50322. It has been certified since 1996. It cares for about 114 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. It is better than the Iowa average on 3 of the index's visit and discharge indicators.
What is Unitypoint Hospice's Medicare record?
| Hospice | Unitypoint Hospice |
|---|---|
| Address | 11333 Aurora Avenue, Urbandale, IA 50322 |
| Phone | (515) 557-3100 |
| Medicare provider number (CCN) | 161554 |
| Ownership | Non-Profit |
| Medicare-certified since | 11/26/1996 |
How does Unitypoint Hospice score on Medicare's Hospice Care Index?
Unitypoint 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 3 of the indicators below and worse on 0.
| Indicator | Unitypoint Hospice | Iowa average | U.S. average | vs. Iowa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaps in nursing visits longer than 7 days (lower is better) | 19.5% | 33.1% | 52.4% | Better |
| Patients discharged alive within 7 days (lower is better) | 6.4% | 7.7% | 7.3% | About the same |
| Patients discharged alive after 180 days or more (lower is better) | 30.4% | 35.5% | 37.4% | Better |
| Live discharge followed by a hospital stay and readmission to hospice (lower is better) | 3.2% | 4.6% | 8.5% | About the same |
| Live discharge followed by death in hospital (lower is better) | 1.6% | 1.3% | 2.1% | About the same |
| Nurse minutes per routine home care day | 21.9 min | 19.6 min | 19.9 min | Better |
| Share of skilled nursing minutes given on weekends | 11.3% | 8.9% | 9.6% | About the same |
| Patients visited by a nurse in the last 3 days of life | 98.3% | 96.2% | 89.3% | About the same |
Separately, 100% of its patients received all seven recommended care steps at admission (Iowa average 97.2%) and 87.6% 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 Unitypoint Hospice?
89% of family caregivers said they would definitely recommend Unitypoint 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 | Unitypoint Hospice | Iowa average | U.S. average | vs. Iowa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team always communicated well | 83% | 83% | 82% | About the same |
| Team always provided timely help | 80% | 80% | 78% | About the same |
| 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 | 76% | 77% | 76% | About the same |
| Caregivers rated the hospice 9 or 10 | 87% | 86% | 83% | About the same |
| Would definitely recommend the hospice | 89% | 88% | 85% | About the same |
Where does Unitypoint Hospice deliver care, and to whom?
61% of unitypoint hospice's care is delivered at home and its largest patient group by diagnosis is other conditions (35%). 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 | 61% |
| In a nursing facility | 28% |
| In assisted living | 7% |
| In an inpatient hospice unit | 4% |
| Primary diagnosis | Share of patients |
|---|---|
| Other conditions | 35% |
| Cancer | 34% |
| Heart and circulatory disease | 17% |
| Respiratory disease | 7% |
| Dementia | 5% |
| Stroke | 3% |
Which Des Moines-area ZIP codes does Unitypoint Hospice serve?
Unitypoint Hospice tells Medicare it serves 65 ZIP codes in Des Moines and Polk, Dallas, Warren, Jasper, Madison and Guthrie counties.
- 50001
- 50003
- 50009
- 50021
- 50023
- 50026
- 50028
- 50029
- 50032
- 50035
- 50047
- 50054
- 50061
- 50063
- 50069
- 50072
- 50073
- 50109
- 50111
- 50118
- 50125
- 50128
- 50131
- 50135
- 50139
- 50146
- 50160
- 50161
- 50164
- 50167
- 50169
- 50170
- 50208
- 50210
- 50211
- 50216
- 50220
- 50226
- 50228
- 50229
- 50237
- 50240
- 50244
- 50251
- 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 Unitypoint Hospice before choosing it?
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 Urbandale, IA?
- Wesleylife Hospice — Hospice Care Index 10 of 10
Last verified: November 2026, against the Medicare hospice data release dated 2026-08-07.
Common questions
Is Unitypoint Hospice Medicare-certified?
Yes. Unitypoint Hospice is certified by Medicare under provider number 161554 and has been since 1996.
What is Unitypoint Hospice's Hospice Care Index score?
10 out of 10 in the current Medicare data. The Iowa average is 9.5.
How large is Unitypoint Hospice?
It cares for about 114 patients on an average day.
