Boston Senior AdvisorGuardian Healthcare is a Medicare-certified home health agency based at 891 Centre Street in Jamaica Plain, MA 02130. Medicare first certified it in 2010, 16 years ago. Medicare rates its quality of patient care at 2.5 out of 5 stars, below the Massachusetts average of 3. Its strongest result against the Massachusetts average is flu shot status checked; its weakest is met expected function at discharge.
What is Guardian Healthcare's Medicare record?
| Agency | Guardian Healthcare |
|---|---|
| Address | 891 Centre Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 |
| Phone | (617) 477-8290 |
| Medicare provider number (CCN) | 227516 |
| Ownership | Proprietary |
| Medicare-certified since | 02/26/2010 |
How does Guardian Healthcare score on Medicare's quality measures?
Medicare publishes 11 patient-outcome and process measures for Guardian Healthcare. It is better than the Massachusetts average on 1 and worse on 6.
| Measure | Guardian Healthcare | Massachusetts average | U.S. average | vs. Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Started care on time | 95.4% | 96.5% | 96.6% | About the same |
| Got better at walking or moving around | 81.6% | 86.7% | 88.6% | Worse |
| Got better at getting in and out of bed | 83.1% | 89.2% | 89.8% | Worse |
| Got better at bathing | 89.9% | 88.7% | 90.7% | About the same |
| Breathing improved | 79.3% | 89.9% | 91.5% | Worse |
| Got better at taking medicines correctly | 78.9% | 85.3% | 88.3% | Worse |
| Medication issues addressed on time | 93.2% | 94.4% | 94.4% | About the same |
| Flu shot status checked | 73.4% | 64.6% | 63.3% | Better |
| Met expected function at discharge | 64.3% | 78.1% | 71.7% | Worse |
| Falls with major injury (lower is better) | 1.5% | 1% | 0.9% | Worse |
| New or worsened pressure ulcers (lower is better) | 0% | 0.2% | 0.2% | About the same |
Where it stands out: flu shot status checked.
Where it trails: met expected function at discharge, breathing improved and got better at taking medicines correctly.
What do patients say about Guardian Healthcare?
76% of surveyed patients said they would definitely recommend Guardian Healthcare, based on 33 completed surveys. The Massachusetts average is 77%.
| Survey question | Guardian Healthcare | Massachusetts average | U.S. average | vs. Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team gave care in a professional way | 84% | 87% | 89% | Worse |
| Team communicated well | 81% | 83% | 86% | About the same |
| Team discussed medicines, pain and home safety | 91% | 83% | 82% | Better |
| Rated the agency 9 or 10 out of 10 | 79% | 83% | 85% | Worse |
| Would definitely recommend the agency | 76% | 77% | 79% | About the same |
Do Guardian Healthcare's patients end up back in the hospital?
On the hospital-use measures Medicare can calculate for Guardian Healthcare, it performs the same as the national rate.
| Measure | Medicare's category | Risk-adjusted rate |
|---|---|---|
| Patients who went home and stayed home after care ended | Same As National Rate | 67.6% |
Which home health services does Guardian Healthcare provide, and which does it not?
Guardian Healthcare reports offering skilled nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work and home health aide.
| Service | Offered by Guardian Healthcare? |
|---|---|
| Skilled nursing | Yes |
| Physical therapy | Yes |
| Occupational therapy | Yes |
| Speech therapy | Yes |
| Medical social work | Yes |
| Home health aide | Yes |
| Round-the-clock or shift care | No. Home health is visits, not shifts. |
| Housekeeping, meals and errands on their own | No. Medicare does not cover them unless tied to skilled care. |
| Long-term help with bathing and dressing | No. That is non-medical home care, which families usually arrange and pay for separately. |
Which Boston-area ZIP codes does Guardian Healthcare serve?
Guardian Healthcare tells Medicare it serves 55 ZIP codes in Boston and Suffolk, Middlesex, Norfolk, Essex and Plymouth counties, out of 78 in total.
- 01432
- 01701
- 01702
- 01721
- 01752
- 01760
- 01778
- 01830
- 01832
- 01840
- 01841
- 01843
- 01844
- 01902
- 01906
- 01960
- 02021
- 02026
- 02072
- 02113
- 02115
- 02116
- 02118
- 02119
- 02120
- 02121
- 02122
- 02124
- 02125
- 02126
- 02130
- 02131
- 02132
- 02136
- 02140
- 02143
- 02148
- 02149
- 02150
- 02152
- 02155
- 02169
- 02170
- 02171
- 02184
- 02186
- 02190
- 02301
- 02302
- 02322
- 02333
- 02341
- 02346
- 02368
- 02468
A ZIP on this list means the agency accepts referrals there. It does not promise a nurse is available this week, so confirm your address when you call.
What should you ask Guardian Healthcare before starting care?
Ask what 'done' looks like
64.3% of patients reached the level of function Medicare expected by discharge (Massachusetts average 78.1%). Ask what goals they would set for your situation and what happens if progress stalls.
Ask about breathing and oxygen management
79.3% of patients had less shortness of breath by the end of care (Massachusetts average 89.9%). If the diagnosis is COPD or heart failure, ask how the nurse monitors breathing between visits.
Ask who sorts out the medication list
78.9% of patients got better at taking their medicines correctly (Massachusetts average 85.3%). Ask whether a nurse reconciles every prescription at the first visit and who sets up the pill organizer.
Ask how many visits a week to expect
Home health is intermittent: visits, not shifts. Ask for the planned number of nursing and therapy visits per week so the family knows which hours still need covering.
Last verified: November 2026, against the Medicare provider data release dated 2026-09-21.
Common questions
Is Guardian Healthcare Medicare-certified?
Yes. Guardian Healthcare is certified by Medicare under provider number 227516 and has been since 2010. Original Medicare pays certified agencies directly for covered home health care.
What is Guardian Healthcare's Medicare star rating?
2.5 out of 5 for quality of patient care. The Massachusetts average is 3.
Does Guardian Healthcare provide physical therapy at home?
Yes, it reports offering physical therapy to Medicare. It also reports skilled nursing, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work and home health aide.
