The number of patients enrolled in our Hospice Care recently topped 1,370—the organization’s highest hospice census in over six years.
Why it matters: As the only hospice program serving all five boroughs of New York City, our rising census shows that its push to improve city residents’ access to high-quality hospice care is succeeding.
Zoom in: We attributes this upward trend to several factors, including:
An increased focus on getting a hospice nurse to the patient’s bedside as soon as possible following referral with same day, 7-day-a-week hospice admissions, including daytime and evening hours.
Meeting patients where they are in their end-of-life journey, ensuring that a desire to continue palliative treatments, maintain relationships with consultants, or continue certain medications does not become a barrier to accessing timely hospice care.
Our ongoing educational outreach to physicians and other clinicians, reinforcing awareness of how earlier referrals to hospice care can substantially benefit both patients and their families at the end of life.
Local initiatives designed to increase community understanding of hospice services and help overcome cultural resistance to end-of-life care.
To make a referral to VNS Health Hospice, click here.
