Heartland Hospice (West Des Moines)
A hospice in Ames, Iowa 50010
2521 University Blvd Suite 124, Ames, Iowa 50010. (515) 346-3321.
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The short answer
Record last released by CMS on Oct 23, 2026.
- 9 deficiencies cited in the last three years
- Not rated family caregiver rating
- 8of 10 CMS’s Hospice Care Index
Each figure’s source sits beside it, in its section below.
What these words mean2
- 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?
9 deficiencies cited in the last three years
The middle of the 13 hospices serving ZIP code 50010 had 12.
The last inspection on record was on Jul 31, 2025: a reaccreditation 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
9 deficiencies in 1 month of the last 36. Last cited Jul 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.
Jul 31, 2025: reaccreditation inspection by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care9 deficiencies
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Content of comprehensive assessment (42 CFR 418.54(c)(6))
The inspectors’ words, 206 words
“Upon patient record review, 4 of 14 (Patients #1,#4,#6,#10) did not have evidence in the patient record that a review was completed of all prescription and non-prescription medications. Patient 1: Upon home visit medication reconciliation, the facility and hospice medication profiles did not match. The facility profile identified oxygen to be administered while patient sleeping and hospice stated as needed. The hospice agency’s profile also contained guaifenesin and simethicone PRNs that were not on the facility profile. Corrected on site with order clarification to discontinue guaifenesin and simethicone and change oxygen instructions. Patient 4: The medication profile contained duplicative lorazepam PRN listing for three times a day as needed and every two hours as needed, both with same indications. After agency investigation, one PRN was supposed to be every five minutes up to three doses for seizure protocol and every two hours as needed for agitation. Corrected on site with order clarifications and correction of medication profile. Patient 6: The medication profile contained duplicative senna PRNs dated 5/21/25 and 7/29/25. Corrected on site with update of medication profile. Patient 10: The medication profile contained Mirilax oral powder with no instructions to mix with a diluent. Corrected on site with order clarification and correction of medication profile.”
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Content of comprehensive assessment (42 CFR 418.54(c)(7))
“Upon patient record review, 1 of 14 (Patient #5) did not have evidence in the patient record that the comprehensive assessment includes a bereavement component which includes the needs of the patient’s family and other individuals focusing on the social, spiritual, and cultural factors that may impact their ability to cope with the patient’s death. Information gathered from the initial bereavement assessment is incorporated into the plan of care and is considered in the bereavement plan of care. Patient 5: The initial bereavement assessment was completed 1/6/25 with admission 12/31/24.”
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Content of plan of care (42 CFR 418.56(c)(4))
The inspectors’ words, 156 words
“Upon patient record review, 3 of 14 (Patients #1,#4,#10) 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 1: During home visit medication reconciliation, the facility had orders for oxygen while the patient was sleeping. The hospice order for oxygen was PRN. Corrected on site with order clarification. Patient 4: The medical record contained duplicative lorazepam PRN orders for three times a day as needed and every two hours as needed, both with same indications. After agency investigation, one PRN order was supposed to be every five minutes up to three doses for seizure protocol and every two hours as needed for agitation. Corrected on site with order clarification. Patient 10: The medical record contained an order for Miralax oral powder with no instructions to mix with a diluent. Corrected on site with order clarification.”
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Review of the plan of care (42 CFR 418.56(d))
The inspectors’ words, 103 words
“Upon client record review, 2 of 14 (Patients #3,#7) did not have evidence that the IDG in collaboration with the attending physician reviewed, revised and documents the individualized plan as frequently as the patient’s condition requires but no less frequently then every 15 calendar days. Patient 3: The election form identified patient choice of a community physician as their attending physician. There was no evidence of plan of care collaboration with the attending since admission. Patient 7: The medical record contained documentation of a change in attending to a community NP. There was no evidence of plan of care collaboration with the attending.”
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Counseling services (42 CFR 418.64(d)(1))
“Upon patient record review, 1 of 14 (Patient #11) did not have evidence the hospice offers bereavement counseling that includes: • Making bereavement services available to the family and other individuals in the bereavement plan of care. • Ensuring that bereavement services reflect the needs of the bereaved Patient 11: The bereavement care plan contained tasks for a 6 month follow up call to the son and a 6 month reassessment for the daughter-in-law. There was no evidence of these tasks being completed.”
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Hospice aide assignments and duties (42 CFR 418.76(g)(1))
The inspectors’ words, 105 words
“Upon patient record review, 2 of 14 (Patients #3,#5) did not have evidence in the patient record that hospice aide assignments and duties are specific to patient needs. Patient 3: The medical record contained nursing documentation regarding wound care with dressings to the right hip. There was no evidence of instructions regarding the wound included in the aide care plan. Corrected on site with aide care plan update. Patient 5: The medical record contained nursing documentation identifying patient is a total assist for transfers. There was no evidence of transfer instructions included on the aide care plan. Corrected on site with aide care plan update.”
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Content (42 CFR 418.104(a)(6))
“Upon patient client record review, 1 of 14 (Patient #11) did not have evidence that each patient record contains Advance Directives. Patient 11: The plan of care identified the patient as DNR. There was no evidence of supporting evidence for the code status such as a POLST or living will.”
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Authentication (42 CFR 418.104(b))
The inspectors’ words, 96 words
“Upon patient client record review, 1 of 14 (Patient #3) 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: The medical record contained nursing documentation upon admission identifying patient use of a CPAP. After agency inquiry after request for orders, the patient was not using a CPAP and the documentation was in error.”
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Coordination of services (42 CFR 418.112(e)(3))
“Upon patient record review, 1 of 14 (Patient #1) did not have evidence that the hospice provided the following information: • Physician certification and recertification of the terminal illness specific to each patient Patient 1: During home visit observation, the facility did not have the CTIs with the hospice information provided by the agency.”
The one inspection in the last three years
| Date | Visit | What the record says |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 31, 2025 | Reaccreditation inspection by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care | 9 deficiencies cited |
Is it certified?
- Medicare-certified hospice since Aug 15, 2022.
- CMS doesn’t list its type of ownership.
- 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): 13.9 nurse care minutes per routine home care day, 11% of skilled nursing minutes at weekends and a visit near death for 95.8% of patients who died.
- Where its patients were cared for (Jan 1, 2024 to Dec 31, 2024): 75% at home, 25% in assisted living.
CMS, Hospice Provider Data. Released Aug 26, 2026. Updated quarterly.
| Measure | This provider |
|---|---|
| Nurse care minutes per routine home care day | 13.9 min |
| Skilled nursing minutes at weekends | 11% |
| Visits near death | 95.8% of patients who died |
Who owns it?
- Curo Health Services Holdings, Inc. owns 100% directly since Jun 6, 2014.
- Curo Health Services LLC runs it.
- 8 owners or officers are people: Sara Zaugg (managing employee (on the payroll), 0%); Ronald C Lazas (corporate officer, 0%); David Robinson Arnold (corporate officer, 0%); David Robinson Arnold (runs it (operational or managerial control), 0%); Thomas Joseph Dolan (corporate officer, 0%); Basil Saadi Hassan (managing employee (under contract), 0%); David Allen Causby (corporate officer, 0%); Janet L Combs (corporate officer, 0%).
- No private-equity firm 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ch Services Midco Holdings Inc. | Owns 5% or more through other companies | 100% | Feb 5, 2015 |
| Curo Health Services Holdings, Inc. | Owns 5% or more directly | 100% | Jun 6, 2014 |
| Charlotte Midco, LLC | Owns 5% or more through other companies | 100% | Aug 11, 2022 |
| Falcon Hospice, LP | Owns 5% or more through other companies | 100% | Aug 11, 2022 |
| Charlotte Buyer, Inc. | Owns 5% or more through other companies | 100% | Jul 11, 2018 |
| Kah Hospice Company, Inc. | Owns 5% or more through other companies | 100% | Mar 1, 2022 |
| Ch Services Group Holdings Inc. | Owns 5% or more through other companies | 100% | Feb 5, 2015 |
| Ch Services Holdings Inc. | Owns 5% or more through other companies | 100% | Jun 6, 2014 |
| Cd&r Falcon Holdings, LP | Owns 5% or more through other companies | 60% | Aug 11, 2022 |
| Kentucky Homecare Parent Inc. | Owns 5% or more through other companies | 40% | Aug 11, 2022 |
| Kentucky Homecare Holdings, Inc. | Owns 5% or more through other companies | 40% | Aug 11, 2022 |
| Humana Inc. | Owns 5% or more through other companies | 40% | Aug 11, 2022 |
| Centerwell Health Services Inc. | Owns 5% or more through other companies | 40% | Dec 22, 2022 |
| Curo Health Services LLC | Runs it (operational or managerial control) | 0% | Nov 1, 2023 |
What do families say?
- CMS gives no family caregiver survey rating: “The number of cases is too small to report Star Ratings.”
- CMS’s Hospice Care Index: 8 of 10 (Jan 1, 2023 to Dec 31, 2024).
- 91.18% of patients were assessed on all seven of CMS’s measures at the start of care (Oct 1, 2024 to Sep 30, 2025); 70.2% 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 | Not rated |
| 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 | 8 of 10 |
How does it compare nearby?
- Of the 13 hospices CMS’s data show serving patients in ZIP code 50010, where this hospice’s office is, the middle number of deficiencies cited in the last three years was 12; this one had 9.
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 |
|---|---|
| Heartland Hospice (West Des Moines) This hospice | 9 |
| Mary Greeley Hospice Services | 9 |
| Everystep | 4 |
| Iowa River Hospice | 21 |
| Mercyone Des Moines Hospice | 13 |
| Unitypoint Hospice | 11 |
| Crawford County Community Health | 31 |
| Gentiva | 15 |
| St Croix Hospice | 3 |
| Gentiva | 16 |
| Wesleylife Hospice | 12 |
| Care Initiatives Hospice - West Des Moines | 13 |
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.