• 62 member hospices provide care for terminally ill people in a range of settings including their own homes, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, acute care facilities, hospice residences and freestanding hospice general inpatient units
• Massachusetts has 6 residential hospice facilities located in Amherst, Cambridge, Cape Cod, Needham, Reading and Wayland.
• There are three free-standing hospice facilities located in Danvers, Worcester and Haverhill that provide general inpatient care, respite care and limited residential care.
• In 2007, Massachusetts hospices cared for approximately 21,258 patients (40% of all deaths in Massachusetts).
• The average length of stay for a hospice patient is 51 days.
• The median length of stay is 25 days.
• 37% of the patients hospice cared for had a length of stay of 7 or fewer days.
• 57% of patients had a non-cancer diagnosis (e.g., congestive heart failure, Alzheimer’s Disease, end stage pulmonary disease).
• 45 % of patients cared for died at home; 39% died in a skilled nursing facility.
• 11 hospice programs provided pediatric palliative care for 131 children with life-limiting illnesses and their families

 

 

2007

2006

1991

Number of patients cared for in MA

21,258

19,408

5,359

Average LOS

51 days

56 days

45 days

Median LOS

25 days

27 days

NK

% of Patients with  Cancer Diagnosis

43%

47%

84%

% of Patients Who Died at Home

45%

51%

82%

% of Patients Who Died in a Nursing Home

39%

31%

2%

% of all MA Deaths Cared for by Hospice

40%

35.5%

10%

Source: NHPCO National Data Set 2007
            H&PCFM Membership Applications 2008

 

Massachusetts Hospice Patients by Diagnosis

Diagnosis

2007 % of Total MA Hospice Patients

2006 % of Total MA Hospice Patients

Cancer

43%

47%

Dementia

17.4%

14%

Debility Unspecified

13%

18%

Heart

7.9%

7.5%

Lung

5.5%

6%

Stroke/Coma

2.6%

2%

Kidney

2.5%

2%

Other Motor Neuron

2.4%

.5%

Liver

1.9%

1%

HIV

.1%

.1%

ALS

.3%

.6%

Other

3.6%

1.8%

 

       Massachusetts Hospice Patients by Site of Death

Location of Death

2007 % of Total MA Hospice Patients

2006 % of Total MA Hospice Patients

Home

45%

51%

Skilled Nursing Facility

39%

31%

Hospital

8.4%

11%

Residential Setting

2%

2%

Free-Standing Inpatient

5.6%

5.5%

 

Massachusetts Hospice Patients by Level of Care

Level of Care

2007 % of Total MA Patient Days

2006 % of Total MA Patient Days

Routine

96%

97%

Respite

.1%

.2%

Continuous Care

0%

.1%

General Inpatient

3.5%

2.8%

Source: 2007 National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization National Data Set 13 of 62 Massachusetts hospices reporting




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