Patients See Demographic Barriers to Advance Care Planning

Racial, ethnic and sociodemographic divides are the leading barriers impacting advance care planning utilizations in the United States. Hospice providers working to expand access will need to take a closer look at the unique forces driving disparities, particularly among people of color. Studies have shown that advance care planning can reduce hospitalizations and health care […]

Diversity Initiatives, COVID-19 Vaccines Top 2021 Hospice Concerns

COVID-19 vaccinations and diversity initiatives will be among the top priorities for hospice providers during 2021, according to an Axxess survey of home-based care providers. About 22% of the thousands of respondents were hospices. Dallas-based Axxess is a technology provider to more than 7,000 home health, home care and hospice organizations serving upwards of 2 […]

Hospices Face Challenges in Determining Unrelated Conditions

Hospices often encounter difficulties when it comes to documenting which services are directly related to the patient’s terminal diagnosis as opposed to a comorbidity. Strategies for hospice providers to completing complete and accurate documentation include close examination of a patient’s health history and maintaining detailed records of patient care plans and medications needs. “It is […]

Designing Career Paths Aids Hospice, Palliative Care Staff Shortages

The hospice and palliative care workforce has been shrinking in recent years due to staff retirement, burnout and limited opportunities for specialty training. Designing a career path with opportunities for advancement can boost recruitment, improve retention and reduce turnover. “Currently, the specialty workforce is just too small to meet demand,” said Brynn Bowman, chief strategy […]

Effective On-boarding Aids Hospice Staff Retention

Effective on-boarding practices, including training and orientation, can help stave off the impact of ongoing staffing shortages in the hospice space. Hospices nationwide are fine-tuning recruitment and retention strategies as demand for their services are rising as they continue to lose current staff, often due to retirement or burnout. More than 26% hospice leaders indicated […]