San Diego Senior AdvisorSharp Hospicecare is a Medicare-certified hospice based at 4000 Ruffin Road Suite D in San Diego, CA 92123. It has been certified since 1992. It cares for about 283 patients on an average day, making it one of the larger hospices in the area. It scores 10 out of 10 on Medicare's Hospice Care Index; the California average is 8.3. Family caregivers rate it 3 out of 5 stars. The index flags 4 areas where it is worse than the California average, starting with gaps in nursing visits longer than 7 days.
What is Sharp Hospicecare's Medicare record?
| Hospice | Sharp Hospicecare |
|---|---|
| Address | 4000 Ruffin Road Suite D, San Diego, CA 92123 |
| Phone | (619) 667-1900 |
| Medicare provider number (CCN) | 051598 |
| Ownership | For-Profit |
| Medicare-certified since | 12/10/1992 |
How does Sharp Hospicecare score on Medicare's Hospice Care Index?
Sharp Hospicecare scores 10 out of 10 on the Hospice Care Index, which counts how many of ten visit, discharge and staffing indicators a hospice meets. Against the California average it is better on 2 of the indicators below and worse on 4.
| Indicator | Sharp Hospicecare | California average | U.S. average | vs. California |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaps in nursing visits longer than 7 days (lower is better) | 68.7% | 58.9% | 52.4% | Worse |
| Patients discharged alive within 7 days (lower is better) | 11.2% | 5.4% | 7.3% | Worse |
| Patients discharged alive after 180 days or more (lower is better) | 33.2% | 42.7% | 37.4% | Better |
| Live discharge followed by a hospital stay and readmission to hospice (lower is better) | 5.8% | 6.5% | 8.5% | About the same |
| Live discharge followed by death in hospital (lower is better) | 0% | 1.9% | 2.1% | About the same |
| Nurse minutes per routine home care day | 14.1 min | 30.4 min | 19.9 min | Worse |
| Share of skilled nursing minutes given on weekends | 9.6% | 13.7% | 9.6% | Worse |
| Patients visited by a nurse in the last 3 days of life | 93.5% | 83.6% | 89.3% | Better |
Separately, 95.1% of its patients received all seven recommended care steps at admission (California average 93.4%) and 55.7% were visited by a nurse or social worker on at least two of their last three days (California average 20.4%).
What do families say about Sharp Hospicecare?
88% of family caregivers said they would definitely recommend Sharp Hospicecare; the California average is 82%. The survey goes to the family member who was the main caregiver, after the patient has died.
| Survey question | Sharp Hospicecare | California average | U.S. average | vs. California |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team always communicated well | 81% | 79% | 82% | About the same |
| Team always provided timely help | 74% | 73% | 78% | About the same |
| Team always treated the patient with respect | 89% | 89% | 91% | About the same |
| Right amount of emotional and spiritual support | 91% | 89% | 91% | About the same |
| Patient always got help for pain and symptoms | 74% | 75% | 76% | About the same |
| Caregivers rated the hospice 9 or 10 | 85% | 80% | 83% | Better |
| Would definitely recommend the hospice | 88% | 82% | 85% | Better |
Where does Sharp Hospicecare deliver care, and to whom?
85% of sharp hospicecare's care is delivered at home and its largest patient group by diagnosis is dementia (32%). 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 | 85% |
| In assisted living | 7% |
| In a nursing facility | 4% |
| In an inpatient hospice unit | 3% |
| Primary diagnosis | Share of patients |
|---|---|
| Dementia | 32% |
| Cancer | 28% |
| Heart and circulatory disease | 14% |
| Other conditions | 12% |
| Respiratory disease | 8% |
| Stroke | 7% |
Which San Diego-area ZIP codes does Sharp Hospicecare serve?
Sharp Hospicecare tells Medicare it serves 90 ZIP codes in San Diego County.
- 91901
- 91902
- 91905
- 91906
- 91910
- 91911
- 91913
- 91914
- 91915
- 91916
- 91917
- 91931
- 91932
- 91934
- 91935
- 91941
- 91942
- 91945
- 91948
- 91950
- 91962
- 91963
- 91977
- 91978
- 92003
- 92004
- 92007
- 92008
- 92009
- 92019
- 92020
- 92021
- 92024
- 92025
- 92026
- 92027
- 92028
- 92029
- 92036
- 92037
- 92040
- 92054
- 92056
- 92057
- 92058
- 92061
- 92064
- 92065
- 92067
- 92069
- 92071
- 92075
- 92078
- 92081
- 92082
- 92083
- 92084
- 92091
- 92101
- 92102
- 92103
- 92104
- 92105
- 92106
- 92107
- 92108
- 92109
- 92110
- 92111
- 92113
- 92114
- 92115
- 92116
- 92117
- 92118
- 92119
- 92120
- 92121
- 92122
- 92123
- 92124
- 92126
- 92127
- 92128
- 92129
- 92130
- 92131
- 92139
- 92154
- 92173
What should you ask Sharp Hospicecare before choosing it?
Ask how often the nurse visits
68.7% of Sharp Hospicecare's patients went more than seven days without a nursing visit at some point, against 58.9% across California. Ask for the planned visit schedule in writing and who decides when it changes.
Ask what happens in the first week
11.2% of its live discharges came within a week of enrollment (California average 5.4%). Ask what the admission visit covers and how they confirm hospice is the right fit before enrolling.
Ask how long nursing visits last
Its nurses average 14.1 minutes per routine care day, against 30.4 minutes across California. Ask how long a typical visit lasts and whether the same nurse comes each time.
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 Diego, CA?
- Anchor Hospice & Palliative Care — Hospice Care Index 10 of 10
- Bristol Hospice - San Diego — Hospice Care Index 10 of 10
- Comfort and Peace Hospice — Hospice Care Index 10 of 10
- Silverado Hospice San Diego — Hospice Care Index 10 of 10
- Suncrest Hospice San Diego — Hospice Care Index 10 of 10
- Vitas Healthcare Corporation of California — Hospice Care Index 10 of 10
All Medicare-certified hospices in San Diego County
Last verified: November 2026, against the Medicare hospice data release dated 2026-08-07.
Common questions
Is Sharp Hospicecare Medicare-certified?
Yes. Sharp Hospicecare is certified by Medicare under provider number 051598 and has been since 1992.
What is Sharp Hospicecare's Hospice Care Index score?
10 out of 10 in the current Medicare data. The California average is 8.3.
How large is Sharp Hospicecare?
It cares for about 283 patients on an average day.
