Hospice of the North Country Inc.
A hospice in Plattsburgh, New York 12901
358 Tom Miller Road, Plattsburgh, New York 12901. (518) 561-8465.
Watch and the shortlist are kept with a free account, on every device. Your watch list. CMS’s own record is on Care Compare.
The short answer
Record last released by CMS on Oct 23, 2026.
- 2 deficiencies cited in the last three years
- 5of 5 family caregiver rating
- 9of 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?
2 deficiencies cited in the last three years
The middle of the 2 hospices serving ZIP code 12901 had 2.
The last inspection on record was on Nov 7, 2025: a recertification inspection by the state.
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
2 deficiencies in 1 month of the last 36. Last cited Nov 2024. 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.
Nov 21, 2024: recertification inspection by the state2 deficiencies
-
Content of plan of care (42 CFR 418.56(c))
The inspectors’ words, 209 words
“Based on clinical record review, the hospice failed to ensure in two of nineteen clinical records reviewed (Patient # 5 and 12) a complete and comprehensive physician Plan of Care (POC) was developed to meet the needs of the patient. Failure to develop a complete and comprehensive POC has the potential to result in unmet patient needs and negative patient outcomes. Patient # 5 (start of care 08/23/2024) has diagnoses of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Unspecified and Chronic Respiratory Failure with Hypoxia. The physician’s Plan of Care (POC) for certification period 08/23/2024 through 11/20/2024 contains as order for Azithromycin 250 milligrams (mg) oral tablet; take one tablet orally three times a week. The order is incomplete as it does not state the time interval between doses. Patient # 12 (start of care 10/25/2024) has diagnoses of Intrahepatic Bile Duct Carcinoma and Personal History of other Venous Thrombosis and Embolism. The POC for certification period 10/25/2024 through 01/22/2025 contains an order for Enoxaparin 40 mg/0.4 milliliters (ml) injectable solution; inject 0.4 ml subcutaneously every twelve hours. The POC is incomplete as it lacks bleeding precautions. The findings were confirmed on 11/19/2024 at 3:45 PM and 11/21/2024 at 1:55 PM with the Director of Patient Services; no additional evidence was provided.”
-
Control (42 CFR 418.60(b)(2))
The inspectors’ words, 118 words
“Based on review of the hospice’s infection control policies and procedures evidence is lacking the hospice has ensured the development of a comprehensive infection control program that protects patients, families, visitors, and hospice personnel by preventing and controlling infections. Failure to develop a comprehensive infection control program has the potential to place patients and staff at risk for exposure to infectious diseases which may result in negative patient outcomes and adversely affect hospice operations. The hospice’s policy and procedure entitled, “Infection Control Program”, policy number ADM-P029.05, was reviewed. The policy lacks infection prevention protocols when performing wound care. The finding was confirmed on 11/18/2024 at 1:25 PM with the Director of Patient Services; no additional evidence was provided.”
All 2 inspections in the last three years
| Date | Visit | What the record says |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 7, 2025 | Recertification inspection by the state | No deficiencies cited |
| Nov 21, 2024 | Recertification inspection by the state | 2 deficiencies cited |
Is it certified?
- Medicare-certified hospice since Aug 25, 1988.
- 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): 15.5 nurse care minutes per routine home care day, 11.1% of skilled nursing minutes at weekends and a visit near death for 95.5% of patients who died.
- Where its patients were cared for (Jan 1, 2024 to Dec 31, 2024): 90% at home, 2% in assisted living, 6% in a nursing facility, 2% 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 | 15.5 min |
| Skilled nursing minutes at weekends | 11.1% |
| Visits near death | 95.5% of patients who died |
Who owns it?
- 14 owners or officers are people: Rebecca Preve (corporate director); Annie Brennan (corporate director); Natalie Whitehurst (corporate officer); Natalie Whitehurst (managing employee (on the payroll)); Kari Prevo (corporate director); Julie Stalker (corporate director, 0%); Lauren M Tyler (corporate officer); Lauren M Tyler (managing employee (on the payroll)); James Barcomb (corporate director); Bonnie Pelerin (corporate director); Deborah Lang (managing employee (on the payroll)); Gloria Gates (corporate director); Maria Alexander (corporate director); Christine Marshall (corporate director, 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.
What do families say?
- Family caregivers rate it 5 of 5 in CMS’s survey (Oct 1, 2023 to Sep 30, 2025): 92% rated it 9 or 10 out of 10, and 96% would definitely recommend it.
- CMS’s Hospice Care Index: 9 of 10 (Jan 1, 2023 to Dec 31, 2024).
- 99.55% of patients were assessed on all seven of CMS’s measures at the start of care (Oct 1, 2024 to Sep 30, 2025); 71.3% 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 | 5 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 | 9 of 10 |
How does it compare nearby?
- Of the 2 hospices CMS’s data show serving patients in ZIP code 12901, where this hospice’s office is, the middle number of deficiencies cited in the last three years was 2; this one had 2.
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 |
|---|---|
| Hospice of the North Country Inc. This hospice | 2 |
| High Peaks Hospice and Palliative Care, Inc. | 2 |
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
-
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).
-
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).
-
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).
-
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).
-
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).
-
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).
-
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.