Hospice Situation Analysis
Current Statistics
Length of Stay The amount of time an individual receives services prior to their death, or prior discharge from hospice services, is referred to as their length of stay. Several factors influence a patient’s length of stay including timing of the referral, access to care, and disease course (NHPCO, 2015b). In addition, hospice regulations state an individual must have a prognosis of death within six months or less. Nonetheless, it is difficult to predict the exact time of death for most diseases, this causes some doctors to overestimate or underestimate the amount of time a patient has left. Subsequently, the length of stay of patients vary. According to the 2015 NHPCO report, 50.3% of patients died or were discharged within …show more content…
Today, services are provided in home, at nursing homes, residential facilities, hospice inpatient facilities, and acute care hospitals (NHPCO, 2015b). According to the 2015 NHPCO annual study, the majority of individuals receive hospice care in private homes. The second most common place for individuals to receive hospice care were inpatient hospice facilities. According to the NHPCO study in 2015, 1 in 3 hospice providers have their own inpatient facilities. These facilities usually attempt to resemble a private home to make the patients and their families feel as comfortable as possible. Individuals attend these facilities when symptoms have become too difficult to manage at home, or when a caregiver needs respite (NHPCO, …show more content…
The majority of hospice patients were female in 2014. The age of the individuals entering hospice vary, however, the majority of individuals are 75 years of age and older. Less than 1% of individuals receiving hospice care in 2014 were 34 years and younger. Since the beginning of hospice care in the United States the primary race of patients who received services were Caucasian. This remains true today, approximately 76% of individuals receiving services are white (NHPCO, 2015b). Multiple factors have attributed to the discrepancy in ethnicities utilizing hospice services. These factors include cultural and religious views regarding death and after-life beliefs, general access to health care services, and knowledge of available health care services (Hospice Associations of America [HAA], 2010). For example, a study found African American families believe it is a sign of respect to pursue more aggressive treatments for their loved ones. They believe it is up to God to determine the right time for death (Dula et al., 2005). Despite these differences, hospice care has proven to be beneficial for individuals of all ethnicities (Jennings et al.,
Length of Stay The amount of time an individual receives services prior to their death, or prior discharge from hospice services, is referred to as their length of stay. Several factors influence a patient’s length of stay including timing of the referral, access to care, and disease course (NHPCO, 2015b). In addition, hospice regulations state an individual must have a prognosis of death within six months or less. Nonetheless, it is difficult to predict the exact time of death for most diseases, this causes some doctors to overestimate or underestimate the amount of time a patient has left. Subsequently, the length of stay of patients vary. According to the 2015 NHPCO report, 50.3% of patients died or were discharged within …show more content…
Today, services are provided in home, at nursing homes, residential facilities, hospice inpatient facilities, and acute care hospitals (NHPCO, 2015b). According to the 2015 NHPCO annual study, the majority of individuals receive hospice care in private homes. The second most common place for individuals to receive hospice care were inpatient hospice facilities. According to the NHPCO study in 2015, 1 in 3 hospice providers have their own inpatient facilities. These facilities usually attempt to resemble a private home to make the patients and their families feel as comfortable as possible. Individuals attend these facilities when symptoms have become too difficult to manage at home, or when a caregiver needs respite (NHPCO, …show more content…
The majority of hospice patients were female in 2014. The age of the individuals entering hospice vary, however, the majority of individuals are 75 years of age and older. Less than 1% of individuals receiving hospice care in 2014 were 34 years and younger. Since the beginning of hospice care in the United States the primary race of patients who received services were Caucasian. This remains true today, approximately 76% of individuals receiving services are white (NHPCO, 2015b). Multiple factors have attributed to the discrepancy in ethnicities utilizing hospice services. These factors include cultural and religious views regarding death and after-life beliefs, general access to health care services, and knowledge of available health care services (Hospice Associations of America [HAA], 2010). For example, a study found African American families believe it is a sign of respect to pursue more aggressive treatments for their loved ones. They believe it is up to God to determine the right time for death (Dula et al., 2005). Despite these differences, hospice care has proven to be beneficial for individuals of all ethnicities (Jennings et al.,