Hearth Hospice
A hospice in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia 30742
93 Crye Leike Drive, Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia 30742. (706) 866-9854.
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The short answer
Record last released by CMS on Oct 23, 2026. We couldn’t read Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ list since Oct 27, 2026: qcor.cms.gov now refuses our reader. This record is as of then.
- 13 deficiencies cited in the last three years
- 3of 5 family caregiver rating
- 10of 10 CMS’s Hospice Care Index
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?
13 deficiencies cited in the last three years
The middle of the 14 hospices serving ZIP code 30742 had 4.5.
The last inspection on record was on May 16, 2025: an initial inspection by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care.
CMS, QCOR hospice inspection reports. Released Oct 23, 2026. Updated quarterly.
CMS, Hospice ZIP Data. Released Aug 26, 2026. Updated quarterly.
When those deficiencies happened
13 deficiencies in 1 month of the last 36. Last cited May 2025. Most serious: Standard-level. The last 3 years, to Oct 27, 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 hospice inspection reports. Released Oct 23, 2026. Updated quarterly.
May 16, 2025: initial inspection by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care13 deficiencies
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Rights of the patient (42 CFR 418.52(c)(4))
“Upon patient record review, 1 of 19 (Patient #1) did not have evidence that the patient chooses a health care provider, including an attending physician Patient #1: Patient admitted 4/30/25. Hospice Election Statement includes patient’s choice of physician as Rosewood Facility, not specifying choice.”
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Content of comprehensive assessment (42 CFR 418.54(c)(6))
The inspectors’ words, 140 words
“Upon patient record review, 3 of 19 (Patient #2, 4, 11) did not have evidence in the patient record that a review was completed of all prescription and non-prescription medications, including herbal remedies that could affect drug therapy. This review includes, but is not limited to: • Effectiveness of drug therapy • Drug side effects • Actual or potential drug interactions • Duplicate drug therapy • Drug therapy currently associated with laboratory monitoring Patient #2: Hospice medication profile includes Levothyroxine daily, Nystatin Powder, Ondansetron, Morphine and Ativan, however the SNF medication profile does not. Patient #4: Hospice medication profile includes Aspirin daily for anticoagulation. Patient daughter reports Aspirin is on hold since incident of bleeding There is no indication on hospice medication profile/orders to hold aspirin. Patient # 11: Facility medication profile includes Omeprazole, however hospice medication profile does not.”
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Approach to service delivery (42 CFR 418.56(a)(1))
The inspectors’ words, 122 words
“Upon patient record review, 2 of 19 (Patient #8, 13) did not have evidence that a Registered Nurse is designated to ensure continuous assessment of the patient and family’s needs and to coordinate activities with other members of the interdisciplinary group (IDG). The IDG must work together and is responsible for supervision of the care and service for each patient and family. Patient #8: Patient admitted 3/26/25 with right side abdominal wound. There were no documented wound measurements for SN visits of right abdominal wound: April 10, 17, 21, 24, 28, May 1, 5, 9, 13. Patient #13: Patient admitted 3/3/25 with Stage 2 Pressure Ulcer rt posterior thigh and SN frequency of 2x/week. The only wound measurement in March was 3/24/25.”
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Content of plan of care (42 CFR 418.56(c)(4))
The inspectors’ words, 102 words
“Upon patient record review, 3 of 19 (Patient #4, 10, 11) did not have evidence the plan of care must include all services necessary for the palliation and management of the terminal illness and related conditions, including medications and treatments. Patient #4: During home visit, patient daughter reports Aspirin is on hold since incident of bleeding. There is no evidence of orders to hold aspirin. Patient #10: 3/18/25 order to change catheter every 30 days and as needed. Circumstances for change are not specified. Patient # 11: Facility medication profile includes Omeprazole, however hospice medication did not have order for this medication.”
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Review of the plan of care (42 CFR 418.56(d))
The inspectors’ words, 91 words
“Upon patient record review, 1 of 19 (Patient #13) did not have evidence that a revised plan of care includes information from the patient’s updated comprehensive assessment and must note the patient’s progress towards outcome/goals from the plan of care. Patient #13: Patient admitted 3/3/25 with urinary catheter. Problems, goals and interventions included catheter inserted 3/1/25 with order to change 4/1/25. Catheter was actually changed 3/28/25 and 5/1/25 with no update to interventions. Patient was also treated with antibiotic 4/28/25 related to cellulitis with no updated to problems, goals and interventions.”
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Coordination of services (42 CFR 418.56(e)(2))
The inspectors’ words, 94 words
“Upon client record review, 3 of 19 (Patient #5, 11, 13) did not have evidence that the IDG ensures that the care and services are provided in accordance with the plan of care. Patient #5: Record includes documented volunteer visits 4/15 and 4/21/25 with no order for service. Patient #11: SC frequency 3/13/25 of 1mo3. No documented visit for April. Patient #13 - Patient admitted with indwelling catheter. Order stated Catheter last changed 3/1/25 with order to change 4/1/25. Catheter was actually changed 3/28/25 and 5/1/25 with no update to orders for those changes.”
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Level of activity (42 CFR 418.78(e))
“Upon observation, there was no evidence the annual report documents the use of volunteers providing day to day administrative and/or direct patient care services in an amount that, at a minimum, equals 5 percent of the total patient care hours of all paid hospice employees and contract personnel. There is no evidence that 5% threshold is met. The agency has active performance improvement project involving volunteer hours with documented improvement.”
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Content (42 CFR 418.104(a)(2))
“Upon patient client record review, 1 of 19 (Patient #1) did not have evidence that each patient record contains: • Signed copies of the notice of patient rights in accordance with 418.52 • Signed election statement in accordance with 418.24 Patient #1: Patient admitted 4/30/25. Hospice Election Statement includes patient’s choice of physician as Rosewood Facility, not specifying facility physician choice.”
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Content (42 CFR 418.104(a)(5))
“Upon patient client record review, 1 of 19 (Patient #1) did not have evidence that each patient record contains Physician certification and recertification of terminal illness. Patient #1: Patient admitted 4/30/25. Hospice Election Statement includes patient’s choice of physician as Rosewood Facility, not specifying which physician for facility . Furthermore, there is no evidence of any facility physician signed CTI for initial benefit period.”
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Authentication (42 CFR 418.104(b))
The inspectors’ words, 129 words
“Upon patient client record review, 3 of 19 (Patient #3, 11, 12) did not have evidence that all entries are legible, clear, complete, and appropriately authenticated and dated in accordance with the organizations policies and procedures and currently accepted standards of practice. Electronic signatures are acceptable as long the hospice is following appropriate safeguards to prevent unauthorized access to the patient records. Patient #3: Record identifies patient advanced directive status as undecided, but there is a documented DNR dated 4/5/25. Patient #11: 5/8/25 SN visit nurse documented unable to obtain INR today d/t lack of adequate specimen. There is no specific documentation as to procedure performed. Patient #12: Patient admitted 2/12/25. Initial comprehensive RN documented aide supervisory visit completed, but, in fact the first aide visit was made 2/27/25.”
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Personnel qualification (42 CFR 418.114(b)(4))
“Upon personnel record review, 1 of 14 (Personnel #14) did not have evidence that all Speech Therapy Services are provided by a qualified licensed Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) or Audiologist in accordance with the state’s Speech-Language Pathology Practice Act and the hospice’s policies and procedures and/or job descriptions.”
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Criminal background checks (42 CFR 418.114(d)(1))
“Upon personnel record review, 1 of 19 (Personnel #14) did not have evidence the hospice obtained a criminal background check on all contracted individuals who have direct patient care and access to patient records. Personnel # 14: There is no evidence of Criminal Background Check”
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Multiple locations (42 CFR 418.116(a))
“Upon observation, there was no evidence the organizational chart matches the hospice’s information submitted to CMS and/or State licensing agencies for ownership and management personnel. Current Program Director was hired December 2024. The change has reportedly been submitted, but there is no evidence available to surveyor by end of survey, that change was submitted within 30 days.”
All 3 inspections in the last three years
| Date | Visit | What the record says |
|---|---|---|
| May 16, 2025 | Initial inspection by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care | 13 deficiencies cited |
| Jan 21, 2025 | Complaint inspection by the state | No deficiencies cited |
| Jul 24, 2024 | Recertification inspection by the state | No deficiencies cited |
Is it certified?
- Medicare-certified hospice since Jun 26, 1986.
- Ownership: other.
- 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 or CMS’s most serious finding: the place’s failure to meet a rule caused, or was likely to cause, serious injury, harm, impairment or death to someone in its care. Source: CMS; 42 CFR 489.3. on record in the last three years.
CMS, Hospice General Information. Released Aug 26, 2026. Updated quarterly.
CMS, QCOR hospice inspection reports. Released Oct 23, 2026. Updated quarterly.
Has anything been proven against it?
- CMS doesn’t publish fines or other penalties for hospices, so none are shown.
- 0 deficiencies cited in the last three years came from inspections that included a complaint investigation.
CMS, QCOR hospice inspection reports. Released Oct 23, 2026. Updated quarterly.
Who does the caring?
- From Medicare claims (Jan 1, 2023 to Dec 31, 2024): 12.8 nurse care minutes per routine home care day, 7% of skilled nursing minutes at weekends and a visit near death for 95.6% of patients who died.
- Where its patients were cared for (Jan 1, 2024 to Dec 31, 2024): 86% at home, 8% in assisted living, 5% in a nursing facility.
CMS, Hospice Provider Data. Released Aug 26, 2026. Updated quarterly.
| Measure | This provider |
|---|---|
| Nurse care minutes per routine home care day | 12.8 min |
| Skilled nursing minutes at weekends | 7% |
| Visits near death | 95.6% of patients who died |
Who owns it?
- Care Hospice, Inc. owns 100% directly since Feb 11, 2021.
- 11 owners or officers are people: John B Hunter (owns 5% or more through other companies, 9.42%); Jesse Reo Moore (corporate officer); Jesse Reo Moore (managing employee (on the payroll)); Amanda Leslie (managing employee (on the payroll)); Randy R Heisser (managing employee (under contract)); Bart K Valdez (corporate officer); Bart K Valdez (managing employee (on the payroll)); Grant Brown (corporate officer); Grant Brown (managing employee (on the payroll)); Dana K Reid (corporate officer); Dana K Reid (managing employee (on the payroll)).
- A private-equity firm is among the owners CMS lists.
- No real-estate investment trust among the owners CMS lists.
CMS, Hospice All Owners and Hospice Enrollments. Released Sep 29, 2026. Updated quarterly.
| Organisation | Role | Share | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Care Hospice, Inc. | Owns 5% or more directly | 100% | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Care Hospice Acquisition, Inc. | Owns 5% or more through other companies | 100% | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Hospice Care Buyer, Inc. | Owns 5% or more through other companies | 100% | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Hospice Care Holdings, L.P. | Owns 5% or more through other companies | 100% | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Hospice Care Intermediate I, Inc. | Owns 5% or more through other companies | 100% | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Hospice Care Intermediate II, Inc. | Owns 5% or more through other companies | 100% | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Thl Equity Fund VIII Investors (Hospice Care), L.P. | Owns 5% or more through other companies | 29.16% | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Thomas H. Lee Parallel Fund VIII, L.P. | Owns 5% or more through other companies | 27.44% | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Thomas H. Lee Equity Fund VIII, L.P. | Owns 5% or more through other companies | 15.07% | Feb 11, 2021 |
What do families say?
- Family caregivers rate it 3 of 5 in CMS’s survey (Oct 1, 2023 to Sep 30, 2025): 82% rated it 9 or 10 out of 10, and 84% would definitely recommend it.
- CMS’s Hospice Care Index: 10 of 10 (Jan 1, 2023 to Dec 31, 2024).
- 96.95% of patients were assessed on all seven of CMS’s measures at the start of care (Oct 1, 2024 to Sep 30, 2025); 79% had visits from a nurse or social worker on at least 2 of their last 3 days (Jan 1, 2023 to Dec 31, 2024).
CMS, CAHPS Hospice Survey and Hospice Provider Data. Released Aug 26, 2026. Updated quarterly.
| Measure | Rating |
|---|---|
| Family caregiver survey ratingCMS star rating from its survey of patients’ family caregivers, 1 to 5 | 3 of 5 |
| Hospice Care IndexCMS’s Hospice Care Index, 0 to 10 (higher is better): a point for each of ten measures from Medicare claims on which the hospice meets CMS’s threshold | 10 of 10 |
How does it compare nearby?
- Of the 14 hospices CMS’s data show serving patients in ZIP code 30742, where this hospice’s office is, the middle number of deficiencies cited in the last three years was 4.5; this one had 13.
CMS, Hospice ZIP Data. Released Aug 26, 2026. Updated quarterly.
CMS, QCOR hospice inspection reports. Released Oct 23, 2026. Updated quarterly.
| Place | Deficiencies, 3 years |
|---|---|
| Hearth Hospice This hospice | 13 |
| Hamilton Medical Center- Hospice | 2 |
| Pruitthealth Hospice-Calhoun | 1 |
| Amedisys Hospice of Dalton | 7 |
| Heartlite Hospice | 0 |
| Tapestry Hospice of Northwest Georgia, LLC | 3 |
| Eternal Faith Hospice and Palliative Care | 6 |
| Caris Healthcare | 2 |
| Hospice of Chattanooga Holdings, LLC | 14 |
| Amedisys Hospice, An Adventa Company | 10 |
| Hearth Hospice | 11 |
| Gentiva I | 7 |
What the record doesn’t say
- CMS doesn’t publish fines or other penalties for hospices, so none are shown.
- Only complaints that led to a citation appear; complaints that didn’t aren’t published.
- CMS ended its Special Focus Program for hospices with serious problems on Feb 14, 2025, so no hospice is marked as one.
- Hospice quality measures have a gap from October 2025: CMS replaced its patient assessment then, and public results from the new one (HOPE) are expected around November 2027.
Sources
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Hospice General Information (yc9t-dgbk).
Released Aug 26, 2026 and checked Oct 27, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Hospice Provider Data (252m-zfp9).
Released Aug 26, 2026 and checked Oct 27, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CAHPS Hospice Survey (gxki-hrr8).
Released Aug 26, 2026 and checked Oct 27, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, QCOR hospice inspection reports (Hospice Survey Reports - Oct 2021 through Sep 2026.xlsx).
Released Oct 23, 2026 and checked Oct 27, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Hospice All Owners (e983965e-1603-4cb8-82b5-c40090e380d1).
Released Sep 29, 2026 and checked Oct 27, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Hospice Enrollments (25704213-e833-4b8b-9dbc-58dd17149209).
Released Sep 29, 2026 and checked Oct 27, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Hospice ZIP Data (95rg-2usp).
Released Aug 26, 2026 and checked Oct 27, 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 27, 2026.
From the hospice
The public record above comes first. Anything the hospice adds will appear here, below it, and say who wrote it.
Replies
None. Replies aren’t open yet. When they open, the hospice will be able to answer any finding for free, and the reply will show beside that finding, unedited and dated.
Paid listing
None. Paid listings aren’t open yet. When they open, anything paid for will say “Paid by the hospice”, and paying will never change a finding, a rating or the order of results.