Caris Healthcare
A hospice in Chattanooga, Tennessee 37421
5959 Shallowford Road, Suite 515, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37421. (423) 899-4044.
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The short answer
Record last released by CMS on Oct 23, 2026.
- 1 deficiency cited in the last three years
- Not rated family caregiver rating
- 9of 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?
1 deficiency cited in the last three years
The middle of the 8 hospices serving ZIP code 37421 had 10.5.
The last inspection on record was on May 12, 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
1 deficiency in 1 month of the last 36. Last cited Apr 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.
Apr 2, 2025: recertification inspection by the state1 deficiency
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Dispensing of drugs and biologicals (42 CFR 418.106(c))
The inspectors’ words, 471 words
“Based on agency policy, medical record review, and interview the agency failed to update the medication profile with new medications for 3 patients (#1, #2, and #3) of 3 patients reviewed with home visits. The findings include:Review of the agency policy titled, “Medication-Management,” dated 3/26/2024 revealed A Medication Profile is maintained for every patient and includes a listing of the current medication orders for each patient...The hospice monitors the medications dispensed to and used by the patient...Review of the agency’s policy titled, “Medication-Orders” revised 3/26/2024 revealed, “...Orders for medications are documented in the patient’s current medication profile...”Medical record review revealed Patient #1 was admitted to the agency on 5/17/2024 with Senile Degeneration of Brain and resided in a long-term care (LTC) facility.Medical record review of Patient #1’s current LTC facility Medication Administration Record (MAR) revealed Gabapentin (medication used for nerve pain) 300 milligram (mg) capsule once daily with a start date of 10/15/2024 and Lorazepam (anti-anxiety medication) 0.5mg once daily with a start date of 3/13/2025.Review of the Patient #1’s agency medication profile dated 3/31/2025 showed the Gabapentin and Lorazepam had not been updated to reflect Patient #1’s current medications.Medical record review revealed Patient #2 was admitted to the agency on 2/20/2025 with Alzheimer’s Disease and resided in a LTC facility.Medical record review of Patient #2’s LTC facility current Medication Administration Record (MAR) revealed Bisacodyl (medication used to treat constipation) 10 mg daily as needed with a start date of 12/2/2024, Depakote (medication used to treat seizures) 125mg twice daily with a start date of 3/12/2025, Fleet Enema 19-7 gram/118 milliliter (mL) once daily with a start date of 12/2/2024, Melatonin (a medication used for sleep) 3mg at bedtime with a start date of 3/6/2025, Sertraline (a medication used for depression) 200mg with a start date of 12/2/2024.Review of the Patient #2’s agency medication profile dated 3/31/2025 showed the Bisacodyl, Depakote, Fleet Enema, Melatonin, and Sertraline had not been updated to reflect Patient #1’s current medications.Medical record review revealed Patient #3 was admitted to the agency on 3/14/2024 with Cerebral Infarction and resided in a LTC facility.Medical record review of Patient #3’s LTC facility current Medication Administration Record (MAR) revealed Carbidopa 25mg-Levodopa 100mg (medication used to treat tremors) three times a day with a start date of 3/13/2024, Gabapentin (medication used to treat nerve pain) 100 mg once daily with a start date of 3/7/2025, Gabapentin (medication used to treat nerve pain) 100 mg twice daily with a start date of 3/7/2025.Review of the Patient #3’s agency medication profile dated 3/31/2025 showed the Carbidopa-Levodopa and Gabapentin had not been updated to reflect Patient #1’s current medications.During an interview with the Administrator and Regional Director on 4/1/2025 at 10:15 AM, showed the medication reconciliation are to be completed on each skilled nurse visit and confirmed the medication reconciliation had not been updated.”
All 2 inspections in the last three years
| Date | Visit | What the record says |
|---|---|---|
| May 12, 2025 | Recertification inspection by the state | No deficiencies cited |
| Apr 2, 2025 | Recertification inspection by the state | 1 deficiency cited |
Is it certified?
- Medicare-certified hospice since May 12, 2005.
- Ownership: for-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 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): 10.5 nurse care minutes per routine home care day, 6.5% of skilled nursing minutes at weekends and a visit near death for 91.4% of patients who died.
- Where its patients were cared for (Jan 1, 2024 to Dec 31, 2024): 49% at home, 5% in assisted living, 46% 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 | 10.5 min |
| Skilled nursing minutes at weekends | 6.5% |
| Visits near death | 91.4% of patients who died |
Who owns it?
- Nhc-Op LP owns 99% directly since Aug 4, 2003.
- 4 owners or officers are people: David R Winters (managing employee (under contract)); Jeffrey Ward (managing employee (on the payroll)); Paul W Saylor (corporate officer); Amy Lackey (managing employee (on the payroll)).
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nhc-Op LP | Owns 5% or more directly | 99% | Aug 4, 2003 |
| Nhc-Op LP | General partner | 99% | Dec 26, 2024 |
| National Healthcare Corporation | Owns 5% or more through other companies | 98% | Jun 11, 2021 |
| National Health Corporation | Owns 5% or more through other companies | 6.9% | Jun 11, 2021 |
| National Hospice Inc. | General partner | 1% | Aug 3, 2003 |
What do families say?
- CMS gives no family caregiver survey rating: “The number of cases is too small to report Star Ratings.”
- In CMS’s survey of family caregivers (Oct 1, 2023 to Sep 30, 2025): 84% rated it 9 or 10 out of 10, and 86% would definitely recommend it.
- CMS’s Hospice Care Index: 9 of 10 (Jan 1, 2023 to Dec 31, 2024).
- 100% of patients were assessed on all seven of CMS’s measures at the start of care (Oct 1, 2024 to Sep 30, 2025); 50.5% 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 | 9 of 10 |
How does it compare nearby?
- Of the 8 hospices CMS’s data show serving patients in ZIP code 37421, where this hospice’s office is, the middle number of deficiencies cited in the last three years was 10.5; this one had 1.
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 Chattanooga Holdings, LLC | 14 |
| Amedisys Hospice, An Adventa Company | 10 |
| Caris Healthcare This hospice | 1 |
| Gentiva | 14 |
| Hearth Hospice | 11 |
| Gentiva | 20 |
| Adoration Home Health & Hospice Care East Tennesse | 2 |
| 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
-
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.