Co-optation and cooperation between home health agencies and hospices.
This study explores the emerging conflict and cooperation between two types of organizations providing home health care to chronically ill and terminal patients--the hospice and the home health agency. Exploratory results suggest that the variables of size (terminal patient load), and competition (the number of other home health agencies in an area) influence relationships between home health agencies and hospices. It is also suggested that recent Medicare regulations may encourage mergers between agencies and hospices in addition to the existing modes of cooperation and referrals.
D006699:Home Care Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006738:Hospices / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009935:Organizational Affiliation; D014481:United States