Guiding Light Hospice Inc.
A hospice in San Antonio, Texas 78217
3218 Nacogdoches Rd, San Antonio, Texas 78217. (210) 585-2335.
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The short answer
Record last released by CMS on Oct 23, 2026.
- 3 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?
3 deficiencies cited in the last three years
The middle of the 96 hospices serving ZIP code 78217 had 5.
The last inspection on record was on Oct 16, 2025: a reaccreditation inspection by the Community Health Accreditation Partner.
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
3 deficiencies in 1 month of the last 36. Last cited Oct 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.
Oct 16, 2025: reaccreditation inspection by the Community Health Accreditation Partner3 deficiencies
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Counseling services (42 CFR 418.64(d)(1)(iv))
The inspectors’ words, 252 words
“It is required that counseling services include an organized program for providing bereavement services delivered by or under the supervision of a qualified professional with experience or education in grief or loss counseling. The bereavement services reflect the needs of the bereaved per a bereavement plan of care that includes the types of bereavement services to be offered and the frequency of service delivery. This standard was not met as evidenced by clinical record review and interview. In 2 of 3 (67%) clinical records reviewed for patients receiving bereavement services revealed that the agency did not ensure that the bereavement services were provided as ordered on the plan of care. CLINICAL RECORD 16: The patient elected the hospice benefit on 06/09/2025 and died on 07/03/2025. The clinical record review lacked documented evidence that the bereavement plan of care dated 07/16/2025 was followed as evidence by a 2-month bereavement call due September 2025 that was not documented in the clinical record. CLINICAL RECORD 17: The patient elected the hospice benefit on 03/24/2025 and died on 04/24/2025. The clinical record review lacked evidence that the bereavement plan of care dated 04/25/2025 was followed as evidence by a 3-month mailing that was due July 2025 was not documented in the clinical record. During an interview with the bereavement coordinator on 10/16/2025, he stated that they were having an issue keeping up with the mailing but that the electronic medical record has been updated and is now easier to utilize to provide and track bereavement services.”
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Discharge or transfer of care (42 CFR 418.104(e)(1)(i))
The inspectors’ words, 142 words
“It is required if the care of a hospice patient is transferred to a Medicare/Medicaid certified facility, the hospice forwards to the receiving facility a copy of: The hospice discharge summary described in HCDT 40.I. This standard was not met as evidenced by clinical record review and interview. In 1 of 1 (100%) of clinical records reviewed for hospice patients transferred to another a Medicare/Medicaid certified facility, the hospice did not ensure a copy of the discharge summary was sent to the receiving facility. CLINICAL RECORD 18: The patient elected the hospice benefit on 03/15/2024 and transferred to another hospice on 07/24/2025. The clinical record review lacked evidence of the discharge summary being sent to the receiving facility. During an interview on 10/16/2025 with the Administrator (Personnel Record 5) stated that they will be reviewing the discharge process and educating the staff.”
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Discharge or transfer of care (42 CFR 418.104(e)(2)(i))
The inspectors’ words, 157 words
“It is required that if a patient revokes the election of hospice care or is discharged from hospice per hospice regulation §418.26 (i.e., no longer terminally ill), the hospice forwards to the patient’s attending physician a copy of the hospice discharge summary and the patient’s record, if requested. This standard was not met as evidenced by clinical record review and interview. In 1 of 1 (100%) clinical record reviewed for patients that have been discharged revealed that the agency did not ensure that the attending physician was sent a copy of the hospice discharge summary. CLINICAL RECORD 19: The patient elected the hospice benefit on 03/26/2025 and chose to revocate the hospice benefit on 07/18/2025. The clinical record review lacked evidence of the discharge summary being sent to the attending physician after discharge. During an interview on 10/16/2025 with the Administrator (Personnel Record 5) stated that they will be reviewing the discharge process and educating the staff.”
The one inspection in the last three years
| Date | Visit | What the record says |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 16, 2025 | Reaccreditation inspection by the Community Health Accreditation Partner | 3 deficiencies cited |
Is it certified?
- Medicare-certified hospice since Mar 10, 2014.
- 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): 9.3 nurse care minutes per routine home care day, 7.9% 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): 61% at home, 19% in assisted living, 20% 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 | 9.3 min |
| Skilled nursing minutes at weekends | 7.9% |
| Visits near death | 95.5% of patients who died |
Who owns it?
- 3 owners or officers are people: Monica Narvaez Trust (managing employee (on the payroll), 100%); Vijay K Gunuganti (owns 5% or more directly, 100%); Vijay K Gunuganti (corporate officer, 100%).
- 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 3 of 5 in CMS’s survey (Oct 1, 2023 to Sep 30, 2025): 81% rated it 9 or 10 out of 10, and 81% would definitely recommend it.
- CMS’s Hospice Care Index: 10 of 10 (Jan 1, 2023 to Dec 31, 2024).
- 94.04% of patients were assessed on all seven of CMS’s measures at the start of care (Oct 1, 2024 to Sep 30, 2025); 66.7% 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 96 hospices CMS’s data show serving patients in ZIP code 78217, where this hospice’s office is, the middle number of deficiencies cited in the last three years was 5; this one had 3.
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 |
|---|---|
| Guiding Light Hospice Inc. This hospice | 3 |
| Amedia Hospice LLC | 7 |
| Journeys Hospice of Texas LLC | 2 |
| Principle Hospice Service LLC | 2 |
| Prodigious Hospices LLC | 5 |
| Refuge Hospice, LLC | 5 |
| Christus VNA Hospice San Antonio | 0 |
| Gentiva Hospice | 15 |
| Vitas Healthcare of Texas LP | 3 |
| Gentiva | 10 |
| Amedisys Hospice of San Antonio | 14 |
| Elara Caring | 0 |
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.