As awareness and utilization of hospice services grow nationally, a disproportionate share of racial and ethnic groups still are not receiving compassionate end-of-life care. Across the nation, less than 10 percent of hospice services are provided to African-American patients, and little more than 2 percent to Hispanic/Latino patients. VITAS is committed to changing those statistics and ensuring equal access to hospice services.

VITAS is developing innovative programs that focus on the underserved, making it a top priority and involving our best local resources—staff at every level and discipline. VITAS staff members are reaching out to local churches, community organizations, political and community leaders, community-based physicians and others who want to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to choose compassionate end-of-life care.

But quality issues need to be addressed as well. As a result, VITAS is taking diversity training in a whole new direction, focusing on cultural as well as clinical competencies by offering staff special educational opportunities on the beliefs and cultural traditions of our patients and their family members.

It’s another innovative approach to hospice care that we believe is important to serving all of the needs of our patients—and it’s a special expertise we hope to make available to the entire hospice industry.