If you’ve made the decision to enroll in hospice or to enroll a family member in hospice, would you
know the difference between non-profit hospice services and for-profit hospice services? While you may
question this, there are key differences between the two. Going with a non-profit service, like Hospice of
Tift Area, does truly impact the care a patient receives. Although non-profit and for-profit hospice
services are paid the same amount for their services, for-profit companies cut costs in other ways to
benefit their shareholders or owners.
For comparison, non-profit hospice services, like Hospice of Tift Area, spend 25 percent more on the
overall care of each patient on average compared to for profit companies. Non-profit hospice services
also provide care in the home or through contracted assisted living or skilled nursing facilities. While
non-profit hospice services are more likely to treat the patient in their own home, they do follow them
to facilities if the patient and family decide that level of care is necessary for their situation. Non-profit
hospice services are also less likely to re-admit the patient to the hospital for ongoing care, allowing the
patient the autonomy to rest in the comfort of their home while honoring their end of life choices.
Non-profit hospice services overall are more patient centered and focused on quality of care rather than
the bottom line. Non-profits are also able to offer more services and resources to patients and their
families while for-profit hospice services might not be willing to offer these same services and resources
due to the increase of the cost of care.
Because Hospice of Tift Area is a non-profit service, they are able to provide grief counseling and other
support services for those who have recently lost a loved one within the area they serve. These services
are provided at no charge to the individual. One of the services Hospice of Tift Area provides is the
annual Camp Reflections experience, which is geared towards children who are experiencing grief
related to the loss of a loved one. For-profit hospice providers often have very little grief counseling and
other bereavement services or they contract these services out through another company or agency.
While at first glance it may not seem as if there is much of a difference between non-profit and for profit
hospice services, choosing a non-profit hospice, like Hospice of Tiftarea, can be very beneficial. Nonprofit hospice services are committed to serving their community and providing excellent care that goes
above and beyond for each and every patient they serve, no matter what.
Whether you are looking at hospice care for yourself or your loved one, it’s important to consider if the hospice provider has their bottom line or the highest quality care as their highest priority. With Hospice of Tift Area, you can rest
assured that we are focused on the highest quality care for you or your loved one.
To learn more about Hospice of Tift Area, visit https://mysouthwell.com/hospice/. To request an
appointment with Hospice of Tift Area, call 229-353-6330.
