Still Waters Hospice, LLC
A hospice in Alexandria, Louisiana 71301
1405 Metro Drive, Bldg L, Alexandria, Louisiana 71301. (318) 767-2000.
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The short answer
Record last released by CMS on Oct 23, 2026.
- 4 deficiencies cited in the last three years
- Not rated family caregiver rating
- 6of 10 CMS’s Hospice Care Index
Each figure’s source sits beside it, in its section below.
What these words mean3
- 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.
- Condition-level deficiency
- 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.
What did inspectors find?
4 deficiencies cited in the last three years
The middle of the 10 hospices serving ZIP code 71301 had 2.
The last inspection on record was on Mar 26, 2024: a recertification inspection by the state.
1 deficiency at condition level, the more serious of CMS’s two levels
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
4 deficiencies in 1 month of the last 36. Last cited Mar 2024. Most serious: Condition-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.
Mar 26, 2024: recertification inspection by the state4 deficiencies
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Quality assessment & performance improvement (42 CFR 418.58)
The inspectors’ words, 170 words
“Based on record review and staff interview, the Hospice Agency failed to ensure an ongoing effective hospice-wide, data-driven, Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement (QAPI) program was developed, implemented and maintained. The Hospice Agency failed to ensure quarterly QAPI reports and meetings were conducted. Findings: Review of the Agencys QAPI binder provided by S1 Administrator/DON revealed the last performance indicators review was performed in 2014. Interview on 03/26/2024 at 3:00 p.m. with S1 Administrator/DON revealed she did not have any QAPI monitoring on hand. S1 Administrator/DON stated she had the data saved on her computer. Review of the documentation provided by S1 Administrator/DON revealed data for 2nd quarter 2023 which reflected varying review dates that included 01/28/2023 and 01/25/2023. Review of data for 1st quarter 2022 reflected varying review dates including 01/17/2022, 02/01/2022, and 03/01/2022. Interview on 03/26/2024 at 3:50 p.m. with S1Administrator/DON confirmed she did not have documentation that QA indicators had been reviewed quarterly for Performance Improvement and that she had no documentation of quarterly QA committee meeting minutes.”
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Develop EP Plan, Review and Update Annually (42 CFR 418.113(a))
The inspectors’ words, 91 words
“Based on interview and record review, the agency failed to develop and maintain an Emergency Preparedness Plan that was reviewed and updated at least every 2 years. Review of the agencys Emergency Preparedness Plan revealed the last documented review was on 03/15/2020 and the last documented approval was on 03/20/2020. Interview with S1 Administrator/DON on 03/26/2024 at 1:16 p.m. confirmed the last documented review and approval of the agencys emergency prepardness plan had been completed on 03/20/2020 which was not at least every two years as required and should have been.”
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EP Testing Requirements (42 CFR 418.113(d)(2))
The inspectors’ words, 199 words
“Based on interview and record review the agency failed to ensure exercises to test the Emergency Plan were conducted at least annually by having a full-scale exercise that is community-based; or an annual individual, facility-based functional exercise and an additional exercise that may include, a second full-scale exercise that is community or facility-based or a tabletop exercise that includes group discussion, as evidenced by failure to have documented evidence that two such exercises had been conducted annually. Review of the Agencys Emergency Preparedness binder revealed a plan activation log dated 2019. Review also revealed there was no documentation that an annual full scale facility based, table top, or community events exercises for 2020, 2021, 2022, or 2023 had been conducted. Interview on 03/26/2024 at 1:16 p.m. with S1 Administrator/DON stated the agency had completed table top reviews of the agencys emergency preparedness plan, but had not completed table top exercises for specific identified risk. S1 Administrator/DON stated the agencys emergency preparedness plan was activated during the freezing weather of January 2024, but there was no documentation. Interview on 03/26/2024 at 1:30 p.m. with S1 Administrator/DON confirmed there was no documentation emergency preparedness drills/exercises had been completed at least annually.”
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Plan of care (42 CFR 418.56(b))
The inspectors’ words, 153 words
“Based on interview and record review the agency failed to follow the individualized written plan of care established by the IDG in collaboration with the attending physician, the patient, or representative, and the primary caregiver for 1 (Patient #10) of 13 patient records reviewed. Findings: Review of Patient #10s Plan of Care for certification period 10/02/2023 through 12/06/2023 revealed a visit frequency for hospice aides at 5 times a week. Review of Patient #10s completed visit report revealed Patient #10 received 3 hospice aide visits during the week of 11/19/2023 through 11/25/2023. Review of Patient #10s 11/2023 Physician Orders revealed no orders approving missed hospice aide visits for 11/19/2023 through 11/25/2023. Interview on 03/26/2024 at 1:03 p.m. with S1 Administrator/DON confirmed that Resident #10 received only 3 hospice aide visits during the week beginning 11/19/2023. S1 Administrator confirmed there was no Physician order for the 2 missed visits and there should have been.”
The one inspection in the last three years
| Date | Visit | What the record says |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 26, 2024 | Recertification inspection by the state | 4 deficiencies cited |
Is it certified?
- Medicare-certified hospice since Mar 30, 2007.
- Ownership: for-profit.
- Cited at 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. in the last three years: it didn’t meet a whole condition of Medicare’s rules.
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): 8.1 nurse care minutes per routine home care day, 1.1% of skilled nursing minutes at weekends and a visit near death for 78.4% of patients who died.
- Where its patients were cared for (Jan 1, 2024 to Dec 31, 2024): 93% at home, 2% in a nursing facility, 5% in a skilled nursing facility.
CMS, Hospice Provider Data. Released Aug 26, 2026. Updated quarterly.
| Measure | This provider |
|---|---|
| Nurse care minutes per routine home care day | 8.1 min |
| Skilled nursing minutes at weekends | 1.1% |
| Visits near death | 78.4% of patients who died |
Who owns it?
- Still Waters Hospice, LLC owns 100% directly since Oct 1, 2006.
- 6 owners or officers are people: Sara B Zito (limited partner, 50%); Sara B Zito (managing employee (on the payroll), 50%); William Zito (owns 5% or more directly, 50%); William Zito (limited partner, 50%); William Zito (managing employee (on the payroll), 50%); William Zito (corporate director).
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Still Waters Hospice, LLC | Owns 5% or more directly | 100% | Oct 1, 2006 |
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: 6 of 10 (Jan 1, 2023 to Dec 31, 2024).
- 50% of patients were assessed on all seven of CMS’s measures at the start of care (Oct 1, 2024 to Sep 30, 2025); 42.1% 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 | 6 of 10 |
How does it compare nearby?
- Of the 10 hospices CMS’s data show serving patients in ZIP code 71301, where this hospice’s office is, the middle number of deficiencies cited in the last three years was 2; this one had 4.
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 |
|---|---|
| Still Waters Hospice, LLC This hospice | 4 |
| Harbor Hospice of Alexandria, LP | 2 |
| Heart of Hospice | 11 |
| Christus Hospice St Frances Cabrini | 0 |
| St Joseph Hospice of Cenla, LLC | 0 |
| Faith Foundation Hospice, Inc. | 2 |
| Passages Hospice | 3 |
| Guardian Hospice Care,llc | 1 |
| Compassionate Care Hospice | 4 |
| All Saints Hospice | 1 |
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.