Cash and Compassion: Profit Status and the Delivery of Hospice Services

Abstract

For-profit hospices compared to not-for profit hospices serve a higher percentage of persons with noncancer diagnoses, residents of long-term care, and persons with government insurance. Differences in patterns of nursing services among hospices were related to patient characteristics. The potential availability of complex palliative services did not differ by profit status.

State-Based Analysis of Necrotizing Enterocolitis Outcomes

“…Numerous investigators analyzed this database to investigate various health conditions [30,[32][33][34][35][36][37][38]. Administrators at California licensed hospitals submit information regarding every discharge from their respective facilities to the State.…”

Operational and Financial Performance of Publicly Traded Hospice Companies

“…In comparison to nonprofits, higher profits among small publicly traded hospices may have materialized from controlling operating expenses. As other researchers 12 have noted, longer stays help control costs by negating the high cost intensity of services that occur at the beginning and end of hospice stays. Therefore, longer stays experienced by small hospices owned by publicly traded companies indicate a motive to reduce their costs.…”

Trends in Length of Hospice Care From 1996 to 2007 and the Factors Associated With Length of Hospice Care in 2007

“…Other studies have found that many older hospice patients have a noncancer diagnosis that often results in longer durations of care. 13,14 Patients who lived in a private residence when receiving hospice care are less likely to receive longer durations of care. This finding is also similar to other studies that have found patients living at home to have the shortest average length of hospice care compared to residents of assisted living facilities and nursing homes.…”