Hospice shows slight growth and declining length of service

The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization’s annual report, “Facts and Figures: Hospice Care in America,”  released last week shows the number of patients served by hospice rose slightly from 1.56 million in 2009 to 1.58 million in 2010. However, the median length of service in 2010 was 19.7 days, a decrease from 21.1 days in 2009. And, the average length of service dropped to 67.4 days in 2010 from 69 days in 2009. “There is concern that hospice providers are not reaching the patients and family caregivers who need hospice support in a timely manner,” said J. Donald Schumacher, the organization’s president and CEO.