Comments on Hospice Blog: For Profit or Non-Profit Hospice

Could the idea that some non-profit hopsices are m...

2009-04-24T13:13:00.000-07:00

Could the idea that some non-profit hopsices are more patient oriented be simply the fact that the non-profit status attracts a certain kind of employee that wants to work there? I have often heard people say that they only want to work at a non-profit, sometimes implying possibly better working conditions but also to me implying that people of like minds tend to gravitate together.

Barbara, Alabama
I am an RN with a for profit h...

2009-04-04T19:25:00.000-07:00

Barbara, Alabama
I am an RN with a for profit hospital in my town. this is also the home of 1 of only 2 inpt facilities for hospice in Alabama. I am so tired of the not for profit tooting their own horn, stealing, literally, legitimate referrals to the for-profit agencies in town and using the sympathy card because they are not for profit. All this means is that they do NOT pay taxes, give

I work as a discharge planner in an area that woul...

2009-03-19T17:09:00.000-07:00

I work as a discharge planner in an area that would appear to have a hospice on every street corner,(OKC) and it appears that the situation here is not typical. The for-profits in our area are much larger than the non-profits, and the only free-standing inpatient units are being built by the for-profits.

My personal experience with the non-profits has been a reluctance to accept

GEE, DETHMAMA wondering what "healthier financial...

2009-03-12T18:13:00.000-07:00

GEE, DETHMAMA wondering what "healthier financial status" infers. In our neck of the woods, it is synonomous with "profit margin"

Yes, Dr. Huston, the not for profit hospice in my ...

2009-01-30T21:01:00.000-08:00

Yes, Dr. Huston, the not for profit hospice in my community was also able to build several "stand alone" inpatient units due to their healthier financial status.

While many of us may feel that corporate hospices are "cold", those of us that work within them give no mind to that and strive to preserve the comfort and dignity of those who need us.

In response to Dr. Huston:

Both non-profit ...

2009-01-30T16:34:00.000-08:00

In response to Dr. Huston:

Both non-profit and for profit hospices generate profits to continue their operations. The observations you make regarding not for profit hospices in your area may appear to be an inappropriate use of their revenue.

I would disagree with your categorization regarding the hospice house though. I believe that it is important to spend money building a

To answer dethmama's question ; many For Profit ho...

2009-01-30T15:56:00.000-08:00

To answer dethmama's question ; many For Profit hospices have a non -profit entity affiliated with the corporation which they use to solicit donations very similar to fund raising done by non-profits.

I have seen large for profit hospices use this non-profit fund to assist clients needs, such as paying for a client's rent, buy an air conditioning unit, and many other items to improve a

I do question the research suggesting that not-for...

2009-01-30T12:56:00.000-08:00

I do question the research suggesting that not-for-profit/tax-exempt hospices provide better care. In FL, the research done shows little difference. Perhaps the bottom line is that the not-for-profits have more money than the for-profits. Afterall, both are paid the same amount of money from the payor sources. The only true difference is that the not-for-profits can raise money and spend it

I see no mention in the article about the non-prof...

2009-01-29T16:36:00.000-08:00

I see no mention in the article about the non-profit hospice's ability to appeal for money through contributions.

The non-profit hospice in my community is able to hold elaborate, up-scale fundraising events and actively solicit contributions from the patient's family or estate. These sizable extra sources of funding plus reimbursement from Medicare and private insurance can add up to a

Thanks for mentioning the HealthBeat post--
<...

2009-01-23T15:47:00.000-08:00

Thanks for mentioning the HealthBeat post--

I especially appreciate the fact that you recommend it even though you don't entirely agree.

Let me ad that I think you're right when you say that there are non-profit hospices out there that are not as good as some for-profit hospices.

But the reerach does seem to suggest that, overall, non-profit hospices are more