Hospice Care Significantly Underutilized Despite Proven Benefits

The Visiting Nurse Association of Northern NJ (VNANNJ) is intensifying efforts to enhance public awareness of hospice care, which remains significantly underutilized despite being available for patients with life-limiting illnesses for more than four decades. Faith F. Scott, President and Chief Executive Officer, emphasized the organization's commitment to fostering greater understanding about hospice services through compassionate dialogue. This initiative addresses the reality that many qualified patients and their families miss opportunities to receive meaningful, multidisciplinary hospice support during life's final phase.

Numerous studies have demonstrated that hospice care can improve and extend the final phase of life, with most cases eligible for six months or more of hospice services. However, current utilization patterns reveal concerning gaps in access and timing. According to the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Hospice Monitoring Report, the median length of time spent in hospice care is just 18 days, with approximately 20% of patients enrolled less than four days before death. These statistics highlight the challenges patients and families face in accepting that life has entered its final stage, a difficulty that extends to some physicians who may avoid or delay hospice referrals.

A report in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) noted that "Death is the ultimate inconvenient truth, a conversation far too many doctors still go out of their way to avoid." Scott encourages everyone to understand fundamental facts about hospice before need arises in their own family, noting that many people are unaware that hospice represents a life-affirming service rather than one intended to hasten death. She also clarified that patients or designated decision-makers can request hospice directly if a physician hesitates to make a referral, providing an important alternative pathway to care.

Choosing a full-service home health care and hospice organization such as VNANNJ when home care is prescribed can prove beneficial long-term. For patients facing serious, prolonged illness or uncertain prognosis, these organizations are uniquely qualified to seamlessly transition patients from standard care to supportive palliative care and hospice when necessary. This continuity of care can significantly reduce stress, discomfort, and inconvenience for both patients and family caregivers, creating a more supportive environment during challenging health circumstances.