10 out of 10
CMS builds this single score out of ten separate indicators drawn from claims. A provider earns a point for each indicator where it is not an outlier against national thresholds. This one scores at or near the top of the scale.
| Indicator | This provider | Read as |
|---|---|---|
| Visits near death | 99.4% | higher is better |
| Gaps in nursing visits | 57.1% | lower is better |
| Early live discharges | 6.1% | lower is better |
| Late live discharges | 28.8% | lower is better |
| Burdensome transitions, Type 1 | 12.1% | lower is better |
| Burdensome transitions, Type 2 | 1.5% | lower is better |
| Skilled nursing minutes on weekends | 12.0% | higher is better |
| Nurse care minutes per routine home care days | 12.90 min | higher is better |
| CHC/GIP provided | 1.6% | higher is better |
| Per-beneficiary spending | $13,281 | context, not a quality score |
Why live discharges matter. Hospice is for people expected to die within six months. A patient leaving hospice alive is sometimes the right outcome — they got better, or chose to resume curative treatment. But an unusually high rate can also indicate patients were enrolled who did not qualify, or were discharged when their care became expensive. CMS publishes early and late live-discharge rates for exactly this reason. Treat a high number as a question to ask, not a verdict.
★★★★☆ 4/5 family survey rating
| Survey question | Families answering "always" / top box | |
|---|---|---|
| Rated this hospice 9 or 10 out of 10 | 89.0% | |
| Would definitely recommend | 93.0% | |
| Family member treated with respect | 93.0% | |
| Got the emotional and spiritual support they wanted | 92.0% |
CAHPS Hospice Survey, completed by caregivers after the patient's death. Providers with too few responses are not scored.
| Practice | Patients receiving it | |
|---|---|---|
| Composite process measure (all seven care practices) | 98.1% | |
| Pain screening | 99.3% | |
| Pain assessment | 99.9% | |
| Shortness-of-breath screening | 99.8% | |
| Shortness-of-breath treatment | 98.6% | |
| Bowel regimen for patients on opioids | 99.3% | |
| Treatment preferences documented | 99.9% | |
| Beliefs and values addressed | 99.9% |
Share of patients for whom the provider documented each practice. These are process measures — they record whether something was done, not how well.
Average daily census: 402 patients.
| Owner | Role | Share | Associated since | CMS type flags |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JOLIET AREA COMMUNITY HOSPICE CORPORATION | OPERATIONAL/MANAGERIAL CONTROL | — | 4/17/2008 | — |
| ALLISON GUNNINK | W-2 MANAGING EMPLOYEE | — | 3/5/2018 | — |
| ALYSSA KNODERER | CORPORATE DIRECTOR | — | 4/1/2023 | — |
| BRYAN NIEHAUS | CORPORATE DIRECTOR | — | 4/1/2020 | — |
| CATHY SCHLEY | CORPORATE DIRECTOR | 0% | 9/12/2025 | — |
| HELEN ROSS | CORPORATE DIRECTOR | — | 4/1/2020 | — |
| JANE WETTERLING-CLIFFORD | CORPORATE DIRECTOR | — | 4/23/2023 | — |
| KAREN SORBERO | CORPORATE DIRECTOR | — | 4/1/2018 | — |
| KATHERINE PROCTOR | CORPORATE DIRECTOR | 0% | 4/1/2025 | — |
| KATHERYN DOYLE | CORPORATE DIRECTOR | 0% | 4/1/2025 | — |
| KATHLEEN PETERSON | W-2 MANAGING EMPLOYEE | 0% | 11/7/2023 | — |
| LORRAINE LUCENTA | CORPORATE DIRECTOR | — | 6/1/2012 | — |
| MARY JAWORSKI | CORPORATE DIRECTOR | — | 4/1/2020 | — |
| MARY SHEEHAN | CORPORATE OFFICER | — | 1/1/2016 | — |
| MARY SHEEHAN | CORPORATE DIRECTOR | — | 1/1/2016 | — |
| MARY SHEEHAN | W-2 MANAGING EMPLOYEE | — | 1/1/2016 | — |
| MATTHEW BASKERVILLE | CORPORATE DIRECTOR | 0% | 8/4/2025 | — |
| MICHAEL D MUTTERER | CORPORATE DIRECTOR | — | 4/22/2022 | — |
| MUHAMAD KRAD | W-2 MANAGING EMPLOYEE | 0% | 6/12/2017 | — |
| NANCY AGAJEENIAN | CORPORATE DIRECTOR | 0% | 9/12/2025 | — |
| NANNETTE ALTON-LABUS | CORPORATE DIRECTOR | — | 4/1/2017 | — |
| PATRICIA AHERN | CORPORATE DIRECTOR | 0% | 9/12/2025 | — |
| ROB STANEK | CORPORATE DIRECTOR | — | 4/1/2018 | — |
| STEPHEN MASTERS | CORPORATE DIRECTOR | 0% | 4/1/2025 | — |
| STEVEN CROCKETT | CORPORATE OFFICER | — | 1/29/2024 | — |
| STEVEN CROCKETT | W-2 MANAGING EMPLOYEE | — | 1/29/2024 | — |
| THOMAS SENESAC | CORPORATE DIRECTOR | 0% | 4/1/2025 | — |
| TRACEY DURNS | CORPORATE OFFICER | 0% | 11/24/2025 | — |
| TRACEY DURNS | W-2 MANAGING EMPLOYEE | 0% | 11/24/2025 | — |
| WILLIAM BENOIT | CORPORATE DIRECTOR | — | 4/23/2023 | — |
Source: CMS Hospice All Owners file, linked to this provider through its Medicare enrollment record. Medicare's Care Compare does not present ownership in this form.
Everything on this page is reproduced from the CMS Provider Data Catalog (July 2026 release) and, where shown, the CMS ownership and Medicare enrollment files. Nothing here is a rating or opinion of ours. If you believe a figure is wrong, email data@carerecords.org with the CCN and we verify against the official file within 5 business days.
How to cite this page: CareRecords, "Lightways Hospice and Serious Illness Care — hospice records, Joliet, IL." Compiled from the CMS Provider Data Catalog (July 2026 release), CCN 141539. https://carerecords.org/hospice/illinois/lightways-hospice-and-serious-illness-care-joliet/