Unionized staff at Providence Hospice of Sonoma County in California have reached a labor agreement with their employer. The deal marks another instance of growing union activity in the hospice space. Unionization is uncommon in hospice, but local media reports in some communities show that the movement has gained some ground. Hospices that are affiliated […]
Category: Staffing
In a time of workforce shortages, hospices are seeking the “secret sauce” that will help keep employees on board and bring new people into their fold. To find the right mix, hospice providers that have achieved national recognition for employer best practices point to a particular secret ingredient — a supportive culture with open lines […]
In a tight labor market, nurses are looking for transparent leadership and strong performance on quality when choosing an employer. Hospices that see success in the “ebb and flow” of recruitment and retention are often those that seek to gain insight into the priorities of the current and future workforce, according to Sarah DeFalco, chief […]
A new hospice nursing recruitment effort has launched in the New England region after being stalled by the pandemic. The recruitment initiative is the fruit of a collaboration between Visiting Nurse and Hospice for Vermont and New Hampshire (VNH) and the Home Care, Hospice & Palliative Care Alliance of New Hampshire (the Alliance). The effort […]
Honing clinical scheduling and onboarding models is key to sustaining the hospice nurse workforce as demand for these clinicians rises and wages lag compared to those in other settings. Future generations of health care clinicians may be woefully unprepared to address both the quantity and and the complexity of emotional, physical and spiritual needs among […]
After more than a year of negotiations, the Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) labor union has reached an agreement with PeaceHealth. Priorities among the hospice and home nurses include wage increases, raising safety standards, ensuring affordable and accessible home health care delivery, equitable pay protection and addressing clinical staffing crises by increasing recruitment and retention of […]
A rash of states are restructuring their medical licensing requirements to allow more trained clinicians from other countries to find employment in the United States. The trend is an aim to address prolific workforce shortages, including in hospice, but could also have impacts on improving diversity, equity and inclusion. Some states have restructured medical licensing […]
Though labor shortages persist, glimmers of hope are on the horizon. Employment in the home-based care sector rose above pre-pandemic levels in 2023, according to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC). The U.S. Department of Commerce defines this sector to include hospices, home health agencies, private duty, pediatric agencies and other providers of care in […]
In case you missed it, Hospice News has launched a new specialty publication for palliative care professionals. You can subscribe to Palliative Care News here: Subscribe today! Ohio’s Hospice is among the providers experiencing staffing pressures amid lagging reimbursement rates and rising inflation. Inflation, wage hikes and lagging reimbursement are among the main forces pressurizing hospice workforces, […]
Rising wages, reimbursement pressures and immigration policies are fueling high turnover rates for hospice and personal care aides. Similar trends are proliferating among hospitals and health systems that provide these services. Current reimbursement structures for aide services represent the most significant challenge in maintaining a sufficient workforce, according to Kenneth Albert, president and CEO of […]