Boston Senior AdvisorFirst Choice Healthcare Inc is a Medicare-certified hospice based at One Gateway Center, 300 Washington Street, Suite 607 in Newton, MA 02458. It has been certified since 2017. It cares for about 47 patients on an average day, making it a small hospice. It scores 8 out of 10 on Medicare's Hospice Care Index; the Massachusetts average is 9.2. The index flags 4 areas where it is worse than the Massachusetts average, starting with gaps in nursing visits longer than 7 days.
What is First Choice Healthcare Inc's Medicare record?
| Hospice | First Choice Healthcare Inc |
|---|---|
| Address | One Gateway Center, 300 Washington Street, Suite 607, Newton, MA 02458 |
| Phone | (617) 738-1113 |
| Medicare provider number (CCN) | 221605 |
| Ownership | For-Profit |
| Medicare-certified since | 11/20/2017 |
How does First Choice Healthcare Inc score on Medicare's Hospice Care Index?
First Choice Healthcare Inc scores 8 out of 10 on the Hospice Care Index, which counts how many of ten visit, discharge and staffing indicators a hospice meets. Against the Massachusetts average it is better on 1 of the indicators below and worse on 4.
| Indicator | First Choice Healthcare Inc | Massachusetts average | U.S. average | vs. Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaps in nursing visits longer than 7 days (lower is better) | 66.7% | 52.9% | 52.4% | Worse |
| Patients discharged alive within 7 days (lower is better) | 7% | 9.4% | 7.3% | About the same |
| Patients discharged alive after 180 days or more (lower is better) | 37.2% | 36.4% | 37.4% | About the same |
| Live discharge followed by a hospital stay and readmission to hospice (lower is better) | 4.7% | 8.3% | 8.5% | Better |
| Live discharge followed by death in hospital (lower is better) | 4.7% | 2.7% | 2.1% | About the same |
| Nurse minutes per routine home care day | 10.1 min | 14 min | 19.9 min | Worse |
| Share of skilled nursing minutes given on weekends | 2.9% | 8.6% | 9.6% | Worse |
| Patients visited by a nurse in the last 3 days of life | 74.3% | 93.3% | 89.3% | Worse |
Separately, 98.2% of its patients received all seven recommended care steps at admission (Massachusetts average 95.5%) and 30.9% were visited by a nurse or social worker on at least two of their last three days (Massachusetts average 67.5%).
What do families say about First Choice Healthcare Inc?
76% of family caregivers said they would definitely recommend First Choice Healthcare Inc; the Massachusetts average is 85%. The survey goes to the family member who was the main caregiver, after the patient has died.
| Survey question | First Choice Healthcare Inc | Massachusetts average | U.S. average | vs. Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team always communicated well | 80% | 81% | 82% | About the same |
| Team always provided timely help | 74% | 77% | 78% | Worse |
| Team always treated the patient with respect | 88% | 91% | 91% | Worse |
| Right amount of emotional and spiritual support | 93% | 91% | 91% | About the same |
| Patient always got help for pain and symptoms | 74% | 76% | 76% | About the same |
| Caregivers rated the hospice 9 or 10 | 73% | 82% | 83% | Worse |
| Would definitely recommend the hospice | 76% | 85% | 85% | Worse |
Where does First Choice Healthcare Inc deliver care, and to whom?
42% of first choice healthcare inc's care is delivered in a skilled nursing facility and its largest patient group by diagnosis is other conditions (29%). 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 |
|---|---|
| In a skilled nursing facility | 42% |
| In assisted living | 39% |
| At home | 18% |
| In a nursing facility | 1% |
| Primary diagnosis | Share of patients |
|---|---|
| Other conditions | 29% |
| Dementia | 27% |
| Cancer | 20% |
| Heart and circulatory disease | 10% |
| Stroke | 9% |
Which Boston-area ZIP codes does First Choice Healthcare Inc serve?
First Choice Healthcare Inc tells Medicare it serves 69 ZIP codes in Boston and Suffolk, Middlesex, Norfolk, Essex and Plymouth counties.
- 01752
- 01760
- 01801
- 01901
- 01902
- 01905
- 01907
- 01945
- 01970
- 02026
- 02038
- 02053
- 02062
- 02067
- 02081
- 02090
- 02093
- 02108
- 02111
- 02115
- 02116
- 02118
- 02119
- 02121
- 02122
- 02124
- 02125
- 02126
- 02127
- 02128
- 02130
- 02131
- 02132
- 02134
- 02135
- 02136
- 02139
- 02143
- 02145
- 02148
- 02152
- 02155
- 02169
- 02170
- 02171
- 02184
- 02186
- 02190
- 02191
- 02215
- 02302
- 02324
- 02368
- 02421
- 02445
- 02446
- 02451
- 02452
- 02453
- 02458
- 02459
- 02462
- 02465
- 02467
- 02468
- 02474
- 02478
- 02492
- 02494
What should you ask First Choice Healthcare Inc before choosing it?
Ask how often the nurse visits
66.7% of First Choice Healthcare Inc's patients went more than seven days without a nursing visit at some point, against 52.9% across Massachusetts. Ask for the planned visit schedule in writing and who decides when it changes.
Ask how long nursing visits last
Its nurses average 10.1 minutes per routine care day, against 14 minutes across Massachusetts. Ask how long a typical visit lasts and whether the same nurse comes each time.
Ask about weekend coverage
2.9% of its nursing time is delivered on weekends (Massachusetts average 8.6%). Ask who is on call Saturday and Sunday and whether routine visits happen then.
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 Newton, MA?
- Brighton Hospice Massachusetts, LLC — Hospice Care Index 9 of 10
- Good Shepherd Community Care — Hospice Care Index 9 of 10
Last verified: November 2026, against the Medicare hospice data release dated 2026-08-07.
Common questions
Is First Choice Healthcare Inc Medicare-certified?
Yes. First Choice Healthcare Inc is certified by Medicare under provider number 221605 and has been since 2017.
What is First Choice Healthcare Inc's Hospice Care Index score?
8 out of 10 in the current Medicare data. The Massachusetts average is 9.2.
How large is First Choice Healthcare Inc?
It cares for about 47 patients on an average day.
