Vitas Innovative Hospice Care Employee Review

Current Employee – been working at Vitas Innovative Hospice Care full-time for more than 3 years

Pros – VITAS has resources and education through the network of offices. There are great opportunities for relocation and promotion across the company.

Cons – There is the industry stereotype regarding the "for-profit" status of VITAS. When employees understand that for profit hospices pay taxes to local infrastructure and do not solicit additional funds in the same way as "non-profits" they can answer the questions. Given that all hospices are reimbursed in the same manner, perhaps all should pay taxes on their income. People confuse their local non-profit hospice for donor funded organizations. Donations to Hospice Foundations could remain the 503c. Non-profits tend to build huge offices and complexes. For-profits work harder to expand services to more clients.

Advice to Senior Management – I have wondered what might happen if hospice executives (VITAS and other hospice executives) participated in Undercover Boss. Given compassion, more attention might be given to training, to rewarding education, financial incentives given for certifications earned by nurses for hospice and palliative care. Chaplains would be encouraged Board Certification as an industry standard and paid accordingly. Incentives for additional degrees earned within ones own discipline would also be a healthy way to remain leaders in the industry. Also VITAS corporation could finance more scholarships for their FHSSA African hospice leaders from the various programs. There are innumerable benefits to high level executives and also to local marketing reps. More team development, incentives and rewards will help to engage the field staff raising the standards of care to patients and families. Great sums of money are spent on marketing to "tell the VITAS story". More effort and funds should be spent on the staff to make the VITAS stories each day taking care of patients and family members