Citus Health Announces Groundbreaking Hospice Family Caregiver Research


Citus Health Hospice Family Caregiver Research

“This research delivers the roadmap for hospice providers that want to provide better communication and increase family caregiver satisfaction,” said Melissa Kozak, Co-Founder and CEO of Citus Health

Citus Health, a leading digital health solutions provider for the home-based care industry, announced the release of a first-of-its-kind study conducted in conjunction with Porter Research that captures the voice of the hospice family caregiver.

In one of the more dramatic findings, 8 out of 10 family caregivers surveyed would (1) choose one hospice over another, and (2) give that hospice higher ratings on the CAHPS hospice survey if the hospice enabled real-time communication via computer, tablet, and smart phone.

Family caregivers claim that the most popular methods – phone, text, and email – aren’t giving them the immediate response they need, and as a result 57% of survey respondents stated that hospice providers “need improvement” in four critical CAHPS survey categories.

“This research delivers the roadmap for hospice providers that want to provide better communication and increase family caregiver satisfaction,” said Melissa Kozak, Co-Founder and CEO of Citus Health. “Family caregivers demand real-time communication in the mode they prefer, whether it be on the computer, tablet, or smart phone, and will reward hospices that can deliver.”

The good news for hospice providers is that solving the communication problem is well within their control. Providers can improve the family caregiver experience through real-time communication technology that uses modern features such as secure instant messaging and video, as well as role-based auto-escalation algorithms that ensure that the proper care team member can immediately respond to patient issues.

“The Citus Health platform solution is designed to address the most important family caregiver needs through our secure instant family group messaging, video chats, customizable forms and surveys, and family caregiver education center,” says Kozak. “Plus Citus Health is device-agnostic; family caregivers can access our secure, HIPAA-compliant platform through their computer, tablet, and smartphone, and it can be done with or without an app download, depending on their preference.”

What Do Family Caregivers Say?


  • Only 43% of family caregivers report being very satisfied with their hospice providers when it comes to four publicly reported CAHPS survey questions.
  • Over 90% of family caregivers reported that the method of communication hospices use impacts four publicly-reported CAHPS survey responses.
  • 78% of family caregivers would choose a hospice that enables instant communication through computer, tablet, or mobile phone.
  • 80% of family caregivers would give hospices higher CAHPS scores if they enable instant communication through computer, tablet, or mobile phone.

Hospices that implement real-time communication technology will have a competitive advantage in the market as they become the “preferred” choice for families and receive higher CAHPS survey scores. Referral sources will recognize the higher CAHPS survey results and have the assurance that the hospice provider is investing in patient and family caregiver satisfaction.

To access the Research Report including the Roadmap for Success when it comes to family caregiver communication, click here. And to learn more about how Citus Health helps hospice providers improve family caregiver satisfaction, increase clinical staff productivity, and streamline workflows, visit http://www.citushealth.com/hospice.

About Citus Health

Citus Health offers the only completely integrated virtual patient care platform solution that removes barriers to communication to immediately improve your patient and family caregiver experience. With built in HIPAA-compliant, secure features like auto-translated multilingual instant messaging, real-time video visits, customizable forms and surveys, and a family caregiver education center, the Citus Health solution enables real time communication between your clinical staff, care partners, and family caregivers.

For more information, visit citushealth.com.

About Porter Research

Porter Research works with healthcare and IT companies to develop and execute market research programs and create strategies using market intelligence uncovered. With 30 years of experience, we have worked with more than 300 IT companies, and complete thousands of interviews each year. This means we know your industry, we know how you need to use the data, and we execute the right research program to uncover what you can’t find on your own. For more information visit http://www.porterresearch.com.

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