Comparison of home health and hospice care agencies by organizational characteristics and services provided: United States, 2007.

OBJECTIVE This report presents national estimates of the organizational characteristics of home health and hospice care agencies in 2007. Comparisons of organizational characteristics and provision of selected services are made by agency type. A comparison of selected characteristics between 1996 and 2007 is also provided to highlight changes that have occurred leading to the current composition of the home health and hospice care sector. METHODS Estimates are based on data collected on agencies from the 1996, 2000, and 2007 National Home and Hospice Care Survey, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics. Estimates are derived from data collected during interviews with administrators and staff designated by the administrators. RESULTS In 2007, there were 14,500 home health and hospice care agencies in the United States, an increase from 11,400 in 2000. Three-quarters of these agencies provided home health care only, 15% provided hospice care only, and 10% provided both home health and hospice care (mixed). The percentage of proprietary home health care only and hospice care only agencies increased during 1996-2007, whereas the percentage of proprietary mixed agencies remained relatively stable. The average number of home health care patients that home health care only and mixed agencies served decreased, while the average number of hospice care patients that hospice care only agencies served increased across years. Among mixed agencies, no significant changes were observed in the average number of hospice care patients being served. The percentage of home health care only agencies offering certain therapeutic and nonmedical services declined over the years. There was an increase in the proportion of hospice care only agencies' providing many core and noncore hospice care services during 1996-2007. Also during this time, the proportion of mixed agencies providing selected nonmedical services decreased.