Hospice Industry Outlook – 2011 Report

Palliative care and hospice services are becoming more popular than ever. In 2011, that trend is expected to continue and intensify. In years past, hospice was rarely considered by patients who were near the ends of their lives. Today, more and more people are discovering the benefits of making use of hospice-related services. For the hospice industry, of course, this is excellent news. Despite the wavering economy and other major issues, most agree that 2011 will be a strong and positive year for the hospice industry. While certain things will present issues, the overall trend is expected to be positive.

Quite a few things are making waves in 2011; many could have impacts on the state of the hospice industry. Most significantly, the passage of health care reform is expected to have major influence over the usage of palliative care in the United States. Medicare has long provided coverage for certain types of hospice care; it is expected, however, that health care reform will provide even more hospice-related benefits. Furthermore, the system may become streamlined enough to ease the transition between nursing homes and hospice care. As a result, patients should expect higher standards of care over the upcoming years.

Section One: Hiring in the Hospice Industry in 2011

One of the unique aspects of hospice care is that it takes place in people’s homes and in hospice centers. As a result, there are plenty of jobs to be had in a wide variety of different areas. Considering that approximately 80% of people wish to die at home – and fewer than 20% are able to – it goes without saying that home-based hospice remains the most popular option. Still, patients without readily available caregivers often choose home-based hospice care to ease their transitions. Employment in hospice centers and for home-based hospice companies is expected to remain steady.

In-Demand Positions in the Hospice Industry in 2011

On the home-based hospice side of the spectrum, nurses – including RNs and LPNs – can expect to have plenty of options for work within the industry in 2011. More and more hospitals are referring patients to home-based hospice care, so the demand for nurses in this segment is higher than ever. Such professionals will enjoy flexible schedules and many unique opportunities within the hospice industry over the upcoming years. Especially experienced nurses will be able to secure the most lucrative and convenient positions.

As far as hospice centers go, social workers will be in hot demand over the next few years. Social workers assist hospice patients and their families with a wide variety of issues and concerns. Since hospices prefer to include family caregivers in the process – even when patients opt to stay at hospice centers – social workers are needed very badly. Social workers who enjoy working with family units and who have a knack for assisting with end-of-life issues are sure to have no trouble whatsoever with finding work in the hospice industry in 2011. Those who have specializations concerning Medicare will be especially hirable.

Less In-Demand Positions in the Hospice Industry in 2011

As more and more hospitals begin to integrate palliative care services into their facilities, it is expected that the number of hospice centers could be impacted. In turn, the need for hospice administrators and executives may decline. The trend seems to moving more and more toward home-based hospice services, too, which will lessen the demand for hospice administrators to some degree. While administrators will always be needed, the sharp demand for them is expected to go down a little during 2011. Administrative positions in other healthcare fields will continue to be highly in demand, though.

Section Two: Expected Growth in the Hospice Industry in 2011

Like so many other senior care industries, the hospice industry is expected to boom as aging Baby Boomers seek palliative care in increasing numbers. As the population of the United States climbs, the need for hospice care will, too. Trends are turning away from dying in cold, institutional settings; more and more people are demanding more caring end-of-life experiences. The combination of an aging population and a shift in mentalities about death should converge to make the hospice industry thrive into 2011 and beyond.

Another interesting fact that should spur the growth of the hospice industry in 2011 is the fact that it is still largely underserved. Even in 2010, many patients who sought hospice care were unable to find it in their immediate areas. As the demand continues to skyrocket, more and more services and facilities should open. This is bound to create a significant boom in the hospice industry. Facilities that are able to provide topnotch care – and plenty of home-based services – should do quite well in 2011. If health reform ends up facilitating the use of hospice services, this trend will be intensified even further.

Section Three: Hospice Industry Trends in 2011

Many key changes are expected to occur in 2011; several of them will have significant impacts on the hospice industry. While trends within the industry tend to evolve steadily over time, hiring managers and others within the industry can expect to see a few surprises this year. By staying attuned to emerging trends in the hospice industry, interested parties can make more effective decisions and plans over the upcoming year. Although many trends are carrying over from 2010, there are seven particular trends that should be kept in mind for the upcoming year; they include:

1. Health Care Reform – Several important changes are expected to occur in the hospice industry due to health care reform. Most significantly, it allows children who are enrolled in Medicaid to receive curative and hospice services. This is an important change that is sure to have dramatic impacts on hospice care in the U.S. Reform is also expected to increase the security of hospices, since it requires them to perform background checks on employees, among other security checks. Hospices will also be required to report on quality measures or face penalties. This regulation should help strengthen the industry.
2. Regulatory and Reimbursement Challenges – As noted above, reform is going to change many regulatory aspects of running a hospice. It could be a bumpy road, especially at first, for many hospices. Furthermore, the changing landscape of Medicare should result in reimbursement issues for some hospices. For best results, hospices should keep someone on staff who is charged with staying abreast of these types of issues.
3. Hospital-Based Palliative Care – Although it is not expected to put a major dent in the popularity of or need for hospice care, the increasing addition of palliative care to hospitals around the country is sure to have some impact on the industry. Considering that most patients turn to hospice care in order to avoid hospitals, however, it is safe to say that hospital-based palliative care isn’t going to be giving traditional hospice care a run for its money just yet.
4. Electronic Records – Because many hospices have been very small operations in the past, many have not gotten up to speed on electronic records, even in 2010. Therefore, 2011 is going to be an important year in terms of catching up with the growing use of electronic records. To remain competitive – and to be reimbursed in a timely manner – hospices are going to have to implement topnotch electronic records management into their systems.
5. Nursing Home Transitions – As the elderly population grows, the number of people in nursing homes climbs, as well. Increasingly, many nursing home patients are transitioning into hospice care; this is especially true for patients who have conditions like Alzheimer’s. Partnerships between nursing homes and hospice organizations are sure to increase over the next year or two. Such partnerships make life easier for patients, too, by reducing the amount of disruption that they have to deal with during this time in their lives.
6. The Inclusion of Caregivers – Hospices have generally striven to include caregivers in the hospice experience for many years now. However, this trend is certain to increase as many out-of-work and financially struggling adults try to keep elderly parents at home instead of in nursing homes. Hospices must be willing to provide training and support for caregivers in order to provide the best services possible. Hospices that fail to do so will lose patients to those that do. Including caregivers and other family members in the end-of-life process is actually fairly simple, so most hospice organizations should be able to do so with ease.
7. Advanced Directives – As sophisticated as many hospice centers have become, many of them still have to grapple with confusion over advanced directives every day. Education about the importance of making advanced directives continues to rise, though, so more and more people are laying out their wishes well before hospice care is required. Hospices will most likely begin engaging in campaigns in their communities to raise awareness about the importance of advanced directives. In turn, the end-of-life process will increasingly become smoother and easier to manage for all involved – and that will strengthen the industry, too.

The resources for the hospice industry article are:

http://www.victorypartnersllc.com/pdfs/Spring%202005%20Hospice%20Industry%20Report.pdf

http://www.medpac.gov/publications/congressional_reports/June04_ch6.pdf

http://www.hospicefoundation.org/uploads/florida_ii.pdf

http://www.cvtips.com/career-choice/career-trends-for-hospice-nursing-jobs.html

http://www.nhhpco.org/Conference2010/SPEAKER_PRESENTATIONS/MarthaTeccaTopTrends.pdf

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/214772.php

http://dying.about.com/b/2010/03/23/obama-signs-health-care-reform-bill-whats-next-for-hospice.htm