Boston Senior AdvisorWest River Home Health is a Medicare-certified home health agency based at 57 Wells Avenue, Suite 20 in Newton, MA 02459. Medicare first certified it in 1997, 29 years ago. Medicare rates its quality of patient care at 3.5 out of 5 stars, above 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 West River Home Health's Medicare record?
| Agency | West River Home Health |
|---|---|
| Address | 57 Wells Avenue, Suite 20, Newton, MA 02459 |
| Phone | (781) 707-9578 |
| Medicare provider number (CCN) | 227456 |
| Ownership | Proprietary |
| Medicare-certified since | 03/05/1997 |
How does West River Home Health score on Medicare's quality measures?
Medicare publishes 11 patient-outcome and process measures for West River Home Health. It is better than the Massachusetts average on 6 and worse on 1.
| Measure | West River Home Health | Massachusetts average | U.S. average | vs. Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Started care on time | 94.5% | 96.5% | 96.6% | About the same |
| Got better at walking or moving around | 90.8% | 86.7% | 88.6% | Better |
| Got better at getting in and out of bed | 93.3% | 89.2% | 89.8% | Better |
| Got better at bathing | 92.5% | 88.7% | 90.7% | Better |
| Breathing improved | 93.8% | 89.9% | 91.5% | Better |
| Got better at taking medicines correctly | 95.6% | 85.3% | 88.3% | Better |
| Medication issues addressed on time | 94.3% | 94.4% | 94.4% | About the same |
| Flu shot status checked | 84.5% | 64.6% | 63.3% | Better |
| Met expected function at discharge | 64.7% | 78.1% | 71.7% | Worse |
| Falls with major injury (lower is better) | 1.3% | 1% | 0.9% | About the same |
| New or worsened pressure ulcers (lower is better) | 0% | 0.2% | 0.2% | About the same |
Where it stands out: flu shot status checked, got better at taking medicines correctly and got better at getting in and out of bed.
Where it trails: met expected function at discharge.
What do patients say about West River Home Health?
83% of surveyed patients said they would definitely recommend West River Home Health, based on 53 completed surveys. The Massachusetts average is 77%.
| Survey question | West River Home Health | Massachusetts average | U.S. average | vs. Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team gave care in a professional way | 90% | 87% | 89% | Better |
| Team communicated well | 89% | 83% | 86% | Better |
| Team discussed medicines, pain and home safety | 84% | 83% | 82% | About the same |
| Rated the agency 9 or 10 out of 10 | 82% | 83% | 85% | About the same |
| Would definitely recommend the agency | 83% | 77% | 79% | Better |
Do West River Home Health's patients end up back in the hospital?
Medicare rates West River Home Health better than the national rate on: patients who went home and stayed home after care ended.
| Measure | Medicare's category | Risk-adjusted rate |
|---|---|---|
| Patients who went home and stayed home after care ended | Better Than National Rate | 85.3% |
| Preventable hospital readmissions in the 30 days after care | Same As National Rate | 4.8% |
| Preventable hospital stays during care | Same As National Rate | 11.2% |
Which home health services does West River Home Health provide, and which does it not?
West River Home Health reports offering skilled nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work and home health aide.
| Service | Offered by West River Home Health? |
|---|---|
| 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 West River Home Health serve?
West River Home Health tells Medicare it serves 72 ZIP codes in Boston and Suffolk, Middlesex, Norfolk, Essex and Plymouth counties, out of 92 in total.
- 01432
- 01450
- 01460
- 01701
- 01702
- 01719
- 01720
- 01721
- 01730
- 01741
- 01742
- 01746
- 01748
- 01749
- 01752
- 01754
- 01760
- 01773
- 01775
- 01776
- 01801
- 01810
- 01824
- 01830
- 01880
- 01886
- 02021
- 02026
- 02030
- 02032
- 02035
- 02038
- 02050
- 02053
- 02054
- 02056
- 02062
- 02067
- 02072
- 02081
- 02090
- 02093
- 02155
- 02186
- 02301
- 02302
- 02322
- 02324
- 02330
- 02332
- 02333
- 02338
- 02341
- 02346
- 02359
- 02360
- 02364
- 02370
- 02452
- 02453
- 02458
- 02459
- 02460
- 02462
- 02465
- 02474
- 02478
- 02482
- 02492
- 02493
- 02494
- 02762
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 West River Home Health before starting care?
Ask what 'done' looks like
64.7% 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 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.
Ask whether your plan treats it as in-network
Original Medicare pays any certified agency. Medicare Advantage plans use networks, and an out-of-network agency can mean a denied claim. Give them the exact plan name on the card.
Ask who answers after hours
Problems rarely wait for office hours. Ask whether the night and weekend line reaches one of their own nurses or an answering service, and how long a call-back usually takes.
Which other home health agencies serve Newton, MA?
These Medicare-certified agencies are also based in or near Newton.
- Mass General Brigham Home Care, Inc — 3.5 of 5 stars
- At Home Senior Care, Inc — 2 of 5 stars
Last verified: November 2026, against the Medicare provider data release dated 2026-09-21.
Common questions
Is West River Home Health Medicare-certified?
Yes. West River Home Health is certified by Medicare under provider number 227456 and has been since 1997. Original Medicare pays certified agencies directly for covered home health care.
What is West River Home Health's Medicare star rating?
3.5 out of 5 for quality of patient care. The Massachusetts average is 3. Its patient survey rating is 4 out of 5.
Does West River Home Health 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.
