Paloma Hospice and Palliative Care is a Medicare-certified hospice based at 8438 Fountain Circle in San Antonio, TX 78229. It has been certified since 2011. It cares for about 156 patients on an average day, making it one of the larger hospices in the area. It scores 7 out of 10 on Medicare's Hospice Care Index; the Texas average is 8.4. The index flags 5 areas where it is worse than the Texas average, starting with gaps in nursing visits longer than 7 days.
What is Paloma Hospice and Palliative Care's Medicare record?
| Hospice | Paloma Hospice and Palliative Care |
|---|---|
| Address | 8438 Fountain Circle, San Antonio, TX 78229 |
| Phone | (210) 988-1680 |
| Medicare provider number (CCN) | 671695 |
| Ownership | For-Profit |
| Medicare-certified since | 10/11/2011 |
How does Paloma Hospice and Palliative Care score on Medicare's Hospice Care Index?
Paloma Hospice and Palliative Care scores 7 out of 10 on the Hospice Care Index, which counts how many of ten visit, discharge and staffing indicators a hospice meets. Against the Texas average it is better on 0 of the indicators below and worse on 5.
| Indicator | Paloma Hospice and Palliative Care | Texas average | U.S. average | vs. Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaps in nursing visits longer than 7 days (lower is better) | 87.4% | 62% | 52.4% | Worse |
| Patients discharged alive within 7 days (lower is better) | 5.2% | 7.6% | 7.3% | About the same |
| Patients discharged alive after 180 days or more (lower is better) | 53.6% | 36.9% | 37.4% | Worse |
| Live discharge followed by a hospital stay and readmission to hospice (lower is better) | 18.7% | 12.1% | 8.5% | Worse |
| Live discharge followed by death in hospital (lower is better) | 2.1% | 2% | 2.1% | About the same |
| Nurse minutes per routine home care day | 6.3 min | 11.6 min | 19.9 min | Worse |
| Share of skilled nursing minutes given on weekends | 4.7% | 7.6% | 9.6% | About the same |
| Patients visited by a nurse in the last 3 days of life | 81.6% | 88.1% | 89.3% | Worse |
Separately, 77.1% of its patients received all seven recommended care steps at admission (Texas average 94.7%) and 24.9% were visited by a nurse or social worker on at least two of their last three days (Texas average 51%).
What do families say about Paloma Hospice and Palliative Care?
82% of family caregivers said they would definitely recommend Paloma Hospice and Palliative Care; the Texas average is 83%. The survey goes to the family member who was the main caregiver, after the patient has died.
| Survey question | Paloma Hospice and Palliative Care | Texas average | U.S. average | vs. Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team always communicated well | 76% | 81% | 82% | Worse |
| Team always provided timely help | 74% | 77% | 78% | Worse |
| Team always treated the patient with respect | 87% | 90% | 91% | Worse |
| Right amount of emotional and spiritual support | 87% | 89% | 91% | About the same |
| Patient always got help for pain and symptoms | 72% | 76% | 76% | Worse |
| Caregivers rated the hospice 9 or 10 | 77% | 81% | 83% | Worse |
| Would definitely recommend the hospice | 82% | 83% | 85% | About the same |
Where does Paloma Hospice and Palliative Care deliver care, and to whom?
46% of paloma hospice and palliative care's care is delivered at home and its largest patient group by diagnosis is heart and circulatory disease (33%). It has provided levels of care beyond routine home visits, such as continuous care at home or inpatient stays, in the last three years.
| Where care is delivered | Share of patients |
|---|---|
| At home | 46% |
| In assisted living | 32% |
| In a nursing facility | 13% |
| In a skilled nursing facility | 9% |
| Primary diagnosis | Share of patients |
|---|---|
| Heart and circulatory disease | 33% |
| Dementia | 28% |
| Other conditions | 15% |
| Respiratory disease | 12% |
| Stroke | 10% |
| Cancer | 7% |
Which San Antonio-area ZIP codes does Paloma Hospice and Palliative Care serve?
Paloma Hospice and Palliative Care tells Medicare it serves 33 ZIP codes in San Antonio and Bexar, Comal and Guadalupe counties.
- 78023
- 78073
- 78108
- 78109
- 78130
- 78152
- 78154
- 78201
- 78212
- 78213
- 78214
- 78216
- 78217
- 78219
- 78220
- 78224
- 78225
- 78227
- 78228
- 78229
- 78233
- 78237
- 78239
- 78240
- 78245
- 78249
- 78250
- 78252
- 78253
- 78254
- 78256
- 78257
- 78258
What should you ask Paloma Hospice and Palliative Care before choosing it?
Ask how often the nurse visits
87.4% of Paloma Hospice and Palliative Care's patients went more than seven days without a nursing visit at some point, against 62% across Texas. Ask for the planned visit schedule in writing and who decides when it changes.
Ask how eligibility is reviewed
53.6% of its live discharges came after six months or more of care (Texas average 36.9%). Ask how often the doctor recertifies eligibility and what support is offered if a patient is discharged.
Ask how a crisis at home is handled
18.7% of its live discharges were followed by a hospital stay and a return to hospice (Texas average 12.1%). Ask who comes to the house in a symptom crisis and how fast.
Ask where inpatient care happens
When symptoms cannot be managed at home, hospice provides short inpatient stays. Ask which facility they use and how far it is from the family.
Which other hospices serve San Antonio, TX?
- Amedisys Hospice of San Antonio — Hospice Care Index 10 of 10
- Elara Caring — Hospice Care Index 10 of 10
- New Life Hospice — Hospice Care Index 10 of 10
- River City Hospice & Palliative Care — Hospice Care Index 10 of 10
- River City Hospice of Texas, L.L.C. — Hospice Care Index 10 of 10
- Acara — Hospice Care Index 9 of 10
All Medicare-certified hospices in San Antonio and Bexar, Comal and Guadalupe counties
Last verified: November 2026, against the Medicare hospice data release dated 2026-08-07.
Common questions
Is Paloma Hospice and Palliative Care Medicare-certified?
Yes. Paloma Hospice and Palliative Care is certified by Medicare under provider number 671695 and has been since 2011.
What is Paloma Hospice and Palliative Care's Hospice Care Index score?
7 out of 10 in the current Medicare data. The Texas average is 8.4.
How large is Paloma Hospice and Palliative Care?
It cares for about 156 patients on an average day.
