Why World Hospice & Palliative Care Day Matters 

Each year on the second Saturday of October, the world comes together to mark World Hospice & Palliative Care Day (WHPCD); a day to raise awareness of the importance of hospice and palliative care, to highlight the gaps in access, and to honor those who provide and receive compassionate care.  

In 2025, WHPCD falls on October 11. The theme and annual observance invite reflection: how far have we come, and how far do we still need to go to ensure that all people with serious illness can live and die in comfort and dignity? 

For families, caregivers, and providers, this day is a reminder: access to palliative and hospice care is not a luxury, it’s an essential part of humane health care. 

In this blog, we’ll explore: 

• What is hospice care vs. palliative care 
• The scale of need and access gaps 
• Meaningful benefits for patients & families 
• Barriers & disparities in care delivery 
• What families should look for / ask 
• How C & S Healthcare Services can help 

Hospice vs. Palliative Care: Understanding the Difference 

It’s common to use “hospice” and “palliative care” interchangeably, but they differ in timing and eligibility, though philosophically they share a commitment to comfort, dignity, and quality of life. 

Palliative Care 

• A specialized medical approach for those with serious, life-limiting illnesses.  
• Focuses on symptom management, emotional and spiritual support, care coordination, and improving quality of life for patients and families.  
• Can be delivered in parallel with curative or life-prolonging treatments.  
• Applicable at any stage of serious illness, not only near end-of-life.  

Hospice Care 

• Generally reserved for patients for whom curative treatment is no longer the goal, and life expectancy is projected to be six months or less (if the disease runs its normal course).  
• Emphasizes comfort and symptom relief, emotional, spiritual, and psychosocial support. 
• Delivered in many settings: patient’s home, hospice facility, nursing facility, or hospital.  

In short, palliative care is broader and can begin earlier; hospice is a form of palliative care focused on the final stage.

The Scale of Need & Gaps in Access 

Understanding the need is critical to advocacy and planning. 

• Globally, an estimated 56.8 million people, including 25.7 million in the last year of life, need palliative care annually.  
• Yet, only about 14% of those in need currently receive palliative care.  
• In the U.S., approximately 13 million adults and nearly 700,000 children could benefit from palliative care services.  
• Within U.S. hospitals: 
• 83.6% of hospitals with 50+ beds now report having specialty palliative care services.  
• But rural hospitals and for-profit hospitals lag considerably (e.g. only ~34.5% of rural hospitals have palliative services).  
• While large hospitals often have palliative teams, about one-third of hospitals with ≥50 beds still lack these services.  
• Hospice data: In 2020, there were ~5,200 hospice care agencies in the U.S. and ~1.5 million patients receiving hospice care.  
• Use trends: Among hospital deaths, palliative care utilization increased from about 5% (2005) to over 23% (2014).  

These numbers show progress but also highlight that many seriously ill patients and families still go without needed comfort care. 

Why Hospice/Palliative Care Matters: The Benefits 

Hospice and palliative care provide more than symptom relief. Their value is multidimensional:

1. Improved Quality of Life & Symptom Relief 

• Control of pain, breathlessness, nausea, fatigue, anxiety, depression; common in serious illness.  
• Support for emotional, spiritual, and social needs for patients and families. 

2. Reduced Hospital Utilization & Costs 

• Earlier palliative care integration has been associated with fewer emergency visits, fewer ICU days, and lower costs.  
• In U.S., if palliative care were fully integrated, some estimates suggest $6 billion in annual savings.  

3. Better Care Coordination & Decision Support 

• Palliative teams help coordinate between specialists, primary care, and other services. 
• They assist with advance care planning, goals-of-care discussions, and aligning treatment with patient values. 

4. Support for Family & Caregivers 

• Emotional, psychosocial, and bereavement support 
• Education and guidance navigating a complex health system 
• Relief from caregiver burden 

5. Dignity in Dying 

• When prognosis is limited, hospice care honors the patient’s preferences, ensures comfort, and supports a dignified end-of-life environment. 

Barriers & Disparities 

Despite the benefits, many patients are excluded or underserved. Some key barriers: 

1. Geographic & Institutional Gaps 

• Rural hospitals less likely to offer palliative services.  
• Smaller hospitals (under 50 beds) have particularly low adoption rates (~22% in some states)  
• For-profit hospitals lag adoption.  

2. Workforce Limitations 

• Only ~19,920 clinicians in the U.S. hold specialty certification in hospice/palliative care.  
• Many regions lack enough board-certified palliative physicians or multidisciplinary teams.  

3. Misperceptions & Awareness 

• Some believe palliative/hospice means giving up hope or is only for the very end. 
• Patients/providers may delay referral because they think “it’s too early.” 
• Limited public awareness leads to underutilization even where services exist. 

4. Payment & Policy Gaps 

• In many states, Medicaid does not require payment for palliative care.  
• Insurance and reimbursement rules sometimes limit access or coverage of services. 
• Prescription access (e.g. opioids) is restricted in many countries, hampering pain management.  

5. Inequities 

• Low-income, rural, and marginalized communities often have less access. 
• Global disparity: most unmet need exists in low- and middle-income countries. Only a small fraction of need is met globally.

What Families Should Look For / Ask 

When your loved one faces serious illness, here’s what to ask or look for: 

• Does the care team include or consult with palliative or hospice specialists? 
• Are symptoms (pain, breathlessness, nausea, emotional distress) addressed proactively? 
• Is there a care plan that aligns treatment with the patient’s goals, values, and quality-of-life wishes? 
• Is support offered to caregivers and family (education, respite, counseling)? 
• Is there early involvement rather than waiting until very late? 
• Can services be delivered at home, in community settings, or near the patient’s living situation? 
• Transparency in costs, coverage, and what’s not covered 
• Advance care planning, living wills, medical power of attorney, discussions about preferences 

As a family, advocating for palliative support early can make the difference between chaotic, symptom-driven care and comfort-focused, coordinated care. 

How C & S Healthcare Services Can Help 

At C & S Healthcare Services, we believe that every person with a serious illness deserves access to compassionate, expert care, not just in their final days, but over the course of their illness. That’s why we integrate palliative care principles into our services, bridge patients to hospice when the time arrives, and advocate for comfort, dignity, and family support. 

Our services include: 

• Symptom management and care coordination 
• Therapy, and supportive services in the home 
• Emotional, spiritual, and psychosocial support 
• Advance care planning and goals-of-care conversations 
• Collaboration with hospice and specialist providers 
• Education for families and caregivers 

This World Hospice and Palliative Care Day, we renew our commitment: to leave no one behind in access to compassionate care. 

World Hospice & Palliative Care Day is more than a calendar event. It’s a call to action. It reminds us of the gaps that still exist, the lives needlessly burdened by pain and distress, and the possibility we hold together of making care better, more humane, and more accessible. 

For families, we encourage you to explore palliative or hospice support early, ask questions, advocate, and insist on dignity.