Hospice Care Most Common in Places of Residence, Including Nursing Homes

​Most hospice patients continue to receive care in their place of residence, with about one-quarter of all hospice care taking place in either a nursing home or other residential facility, according to new data from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO). The data, based on information from NHPCO's members, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and other sources, remained relatively consistent from 2012 to 2013. Although the proportion of hospice patients receiving care in dedicated inpatient hospices declined slightly, from 27.4% in 2012 to 26.4% in 2013, the percentage receiving acute care–based hospice (6.6% in 2012 and 7.0% in 2013) and nursing home–based hospice (17.2% in 2012 and 17.9% in 2013) remained relatively stable.