Guardian Home Health
A home health agency in Hickory, North Carolina 28601
100 Main Avenue NW Suite 200, Hickory, North Carolina 28601. (828) 324-3025.
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The short answer
Record last released by CMS on Oct 21, 2026.
- 3of 5 quality of patient care rating
- 4of 5 patient survey rating
- 1 deficiencies cited in the last three years
Each figure’s source sits beside it, in its section below.
What these words mean3
- Star ratings
- CMS rates some kinds of place from 1 to 5 stars, more stars meaning better on CMS’s own measures for that kind: for a nursing home, its health inspections, staffing and quality measures. A rating is CMS’s summary of those measures; it doesn’t promise good care. Source: CMS, Care Compare and the Five-Star Quality Rating System.
- Inspection (survey)
- A visit by state inspectors, often unannounced, who check a place against the rules it must meet. For nursing homes and other places Medicare pays, CMS calls these visits surveys: a standard survey of a nursing home comes at least every 15 months, and a complaint survey whenever a complaint calls for one. Source: CMS; 42 CFR 488.308.
- Deficiency, citation, violation
- What inspectors write up when a place didn’t meet a rule: the rule, what they saw, and when. CMS calls it a deficiency; states may say citation or violation. It is the inspectors’ finding, not a court’s, and the place is usually asked for a plan to correct it. Source: CMS, statement of deficiencies (Form CMS-2567); each state’s licensing agency.
What did inspectors find?
The last inspection on record was on Mar 19, 2026: a recertification inspection.
1 deficiency cited in the last three years.
CMS, QCOR home health inspection reports. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated monthly.
When those deficiencies happened
1 deficiency in 1 month of the last 36. Last cited Mar 2026. Most serious: Element-level. The last 3 years, to Oct 24, 2026.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Nov | Dec | ||||||||||
| 2024 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 2025 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 2026 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct |
Hover or focus a month to read it.
Hearth Record drew this from the dates and levels in the source’s own records.
Each deficiency, as cited
Rule titles as CMS’s inspectors cite them, set in sentence case.
CMS, QCOR home health inspection reports. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated monthly.
Mar 19, 2026: recertification inspection1 deficiency
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A Review Of All Current Medications
The inspectors’ words, 277 words
“A review of all current medications CFR(s): 484.55(c)(5) A review of all medications the patient is currently using in order to identify any potential adverse effects and drug reactions, including ineffective drug therapy, significant side effects, significant drug interactions, duplicate drug therapy, and noncompliance with drug therapy. This Element is not met as evidenced by: Based on policy and procedure, clinical record review, observation, and patient interview the agency failed to review all current medications for 1 of 1 home visits conducted (#3). Findings included: Review of policy “Monitoring Medications”, revised 07/01/2024 was received from the agency alternate director on 03/19/2026 at 0800. The policy stated,” …the discipline responsible for the drug regimen will…review all medications including over the counter medications…” Patient #18 was admitted on 12/22/2025 with diagnoses of pressure ulcer of left heel, stage 3; fracture unspecified part of left femur (leg); and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (heart flutter). The plan of care for 02/20/2026 to 04/20/2026 included the following orders: skilled nursing 1 time a week for 9 weeks with 2 as needed for cardiac and wound complications. A home visit was conducted on 03/18/2026 at 1400 with the registered nurse. A review of current medications was conducted with the patient during the home visit. The review revealed the following discrepancies: Golden Guard supplement take 1 tablet daily by mouth for inflammation was not included on the home medication list or medication profile. Arthrozene supplement take 1 tablet daily by mouth for inflammation was not included on the home medication list or medication profile. Interview with the patient and caregiver on 03/18/2026 at 1415 “I’ve been taking these supplements for a couple of months now”.”
The one inspection in the last three years
| Date | Visit | What the record says |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 19, 2026 | Recertification inspection | 1 deficiency cited |
Is it certified?
- Medicare-certified home health agency since Oct 24, 1977.
- Ownership: non-profit.
- No For hospices, home health agencies, hospitals and dialysis facilities, CMS writes deficiencies at two levels. Standard is the usual one; condition-level is the more serious, when a problem is serious enough that the provider doesn’t meet a whole condition of taking part in Medicare. Source: CMS, State Operations Manual. deficiency on record in the last three years.
CMS, Home Health Care Agencies. Released Oct 21, 2026. Updated quarterly.
CMS, QCOR home health inspection reports. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated monthly.
Has anything been proven against it?
- CMS doesn’t publish fines or other penalties for home health agencies, so none are shown.
- 0 deficiencies cited in the last three years came from inspections that included a complaint investigation.
CMS, QCOR home health inspection reports. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated monthly.
Who does the caring?
- Offers nursing care, physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech pathology.
- Doesn’t offer medical social services and home health aide services.
- CMS doesn’t publish staffing levels for home health agencies.
CMS, Home Health Care Agencies. Released Oct 21, 2026. Updated quarterly.
Who owns it?
- North Carolina In-Home Healthcare Partnership - Ix, LLC owns 100% directly since Nov 1, 2018.
- 8 owners or officers are people: Marcus Macip (corporate officer); Kimberly Seymour (corporate officer, 0%); Kimberly Seymour (managing employee (on the payroll), 0%); Joni Babineaux (corporate officer, 0%); Wendy Daigle (corporate director, 0%); Jennifer Wilson (managing employee (on the payroll), 0%); Joshua Lee Proffitt (corporate officer); Amy Cormier (corporate director, 0%).
- No private-equity firm among the owners CMS lists.
- No real-estate investment trust among the owners CMS lists.
CMS, Home Health Agency All Owners and Home Health Agency Enrollments. Released Sep 29, 2026. Updated quarterly.
| Organisation | Role | Share | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-Home Healthcare Partnership LLC | Owns 5% or more through other companies | 100% | Nov 1, 2018 |
| North Carolina In-Home Healthcare Partnership - Ix, LLC | Owns 5% or more directly | 100% | Nov 1, 2018 |
| Lhcg Partner LLC | Owns 5% or more through other companies | 55% | Nov 1, 2018 |
| LHC Group Inc. | Owns 5% or more through other companies | 55% | Nov 1, 2018 |
| Home Health Partner LLC | Owns 5% or more through other companies | 45% | Nov 1, 2018 |
| Lifepoint Hospitals Holdings LLC | Owns 5% or more through other companies | 45% | Nov 1, 2018 |
| Historic Lifepoint Hospitals LLC | Owns 5% or more through other companies | 45% | Nov 1, 2018 |
| Legacy Lifepoint Health LLC | Owns 5% or more through other companies | 45% | Nov 1, 2018 |
| Unitedhealth Group Incorporated | Owns 5% or more through other companies | Feb 22, 2023 |
How do patients fare?
- CMS rates its quality of patient care 3 of 5.
- Patients rate it 4 of 5 in CMS’s patient survey (243 surveys completed): 92% rated it 9 or 10 out of 10, and 86% would definitely recommend it.
- CMS compares it with the national rate: discharged to the community, better; potentially preventable hospital stays, the same; potentially preventable readmissions after discharge, the same.
CMS, Home Health Care Agencies and Home Health Patient Survey. Released Oct 21, 2026. Updated quarterly.
| Measure | Rating |
|---|---|
| Quality of patient care ratingCMS star rating, 1 to 5 in half stars | 3 of 5 |
| Patient survey ratingCMS star rating from its survey of the agency’s patients, 1 to 5 | 4 of 5 |
| Discharged to the communityCMS’s risk-adjusted rate, compared with the national rate | 89.06% (better than the national rate) |
| Potentially preventable hospital staysCMS’s risk-adjusted rate, compared with the national rate | 10.78% (same as the national rate) |
| Potentially preventable readmissions after dischargeCMS’s risk-adjusted rate, compared with the national rate | 4.42% (same as the national rate) |
How does it compare nearby?
- Of the 13 agencies CMS’s data show serving patients in ZIP code 28601, where this agency’s office is, 12 have a quality of patient care rating; the middle one is 4 of 5, and this one is rated 3 of 5.
CMS, Home Health ZIP Codes and Home Health Care Agencies. Released Oct 21, 2026. Updated quarterly.
| Place | Quality rating |
|---|---|
| Guardian Home Health This home health agency | 3 |
| Interim Healthcare of the Tria | Not given |
| Centerwell Home Health | 4 |
| Centerwell Home Health | 4 |
| Medi Home Health and Hospice | 3 |
| Enhabit Home Health | 4 |
| Iredell Home Health | 3 |
| Adoration Home Health | 4 |
| Medi Home Health Agency | 2.5 |
| Atrium Health at Home Blue Ridge | 2.5 |
| Centerwell Home Health | 4 |
| Bayada Home Health Care, Inc. | 4 |
What the record doesn’t say
- CMS doesn’t publish fines or other penalties for home health agencies, so none are shown.
- Only complaints that led to a citation appear; complaints that didn’t aren’t published.
- QCOR says some of its home health reports are accurate or available only through May 19, 2021, because of a systems migration.
- Many home health agencies are inspected by a private accrediting organisation instead of the state, and QCOR’s home health file doesn’t appear to include those inspections: no inspection on record here doesn’t mean none took place.
Sources
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Home Health Care Agencies (6jpm-sxkc).
Released Oct 21, 2026 and checked Oct 24, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Home Health Patient Survey (ccn4-8vby).
Released Oct 21, 2026 and checked Oct 24, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, QCOR home health inspection reports (HHA_2567s_2018_to_2026YTD.xlsx).
Released Oct 20, 2026 and checked Oct 24, 2026. Updated monthly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Home Health Agency All Owners (fc009b2d-7846-44b1-b4a1-692f0c143879).
Released Sep 29, 2026 and checked Oct 24, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Home Health Agency Enrollments (15f64ab4-3172-4a27-b589-ebd67a6d28aa).
Released Sep 29, 2026 and checked Oct 24, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Home Health ZIP Codes (m5eg-upu5).
Released Oct 21, 2026 and checked Oct 24, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
If you believe something here is wrong, a correction starts with the agency whose record this copies: CMS. CMS’s own record is on Care Compare. If Hearth Record copied something wrongly, it will fix it and log the correction publicly, with its date: how corrections work.
This copy of the record was made on Oct 24, 2026.
From the agency
The public record above comes first. Anything the agency adds will appear here, below it, and say who wrote it.
Replies
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Paid listing
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