A myriad of regulatory, reimbursement and workforce pressures have challenged providers when it comes to clinical capacity and associated revenue. Hospice budgeting practices hinge on several factors, according to Matt Chadwick, CFO of Well Care Health. Building a sustainable financial structure for end-of-life care delivery can be a challenging feat when navigating the impacts of […]
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Language barriers, mistrust of the health care system and a lack of diverse staff are the most common obstacles between hospice care and underserved communities, research from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) recently found. NHPCO’s Diversity Advisory Council, in partnership with Transcend Strategy Group, recently polled more than 1,200 individuals among LGBTQ+, […]
A fourth year into the pandemic, its effects have hospices continuing to combat against financial and operational headwinds, as well as uncertainty about the future of telehealth rules. The COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) is likely to endure past another extension. Currently set to expire Jan. 11, 2023, the U.S. Department of Health & Human […]
Clinical turnover has been on the rise since the pandemic’s onset, leading hospices to raise the bar on their recruitment and retention efforts. But a disconnect may exist between health care leaders and the underlying issues affecting frontline staff. Rising turnover during the pandemic has heightened workforce challenges for hospices and other providers throughout the […]
As hospices expand their diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, more are putting cultural competency at the forefront of their hiring and training processes. Understanding and awareness of cultural beliefs and practices makes a difference when it comes to attracting and keeping staff, according to Keith Everett, CEO of Louisiana-based Hospice of Acadiana Inc. A key […]
Careful management of hospice care manager workloads correlates with longer lengths of stay and improved margins. Length of stay is an important metric from both a clinical and business standpoint. For many patients length of stay is a week or less, which is too short for them to receive the full benefit of hospice care. […]
Elevated turnover rates are nibbling at hospices’ profit margins. A recent, nationwide BerryDunn survey of home health and hospice providers found that those who have experienced high turnover rates also sustained significant blows to their bottom lines. Providers with a turnover rate of 10% or less among staff reported seeing margins rise on average by […]
Speedy hospice patient admissions can lead to improved referral numbers, profitability and length of stay, recent data show Yet, hospices need to carefully navigate their patient admission processes to maximize their revenue. Timely initiation of care is an important metric for hospices to measure and monitor, according to recent research from BerryDunn. Referral-to-admission times can […]
The business case for diversity, equity and inclusion in hospice care The drive for greater diversity, equity and inclusion in health care is more than a flash in the pan. It could impact hospices’ sustainability as well as their access to patients. Initiatives to reach underserved populations have been a rising priority among hospice providers. […]
As hospices sweat over recruitment and retention, many say that competition on wages and benefits is the leading barrier, as well as widespread misperceptions of their services. Their employees, however, also cite burnout and the lack of flexibility of a career path as reasons they may leave the field. A majority of hospices who responded […]