About The FHPC Diversity Summit

Background:    In 2006, Florida’s hospice providers convened in Orlando to undertake an innovative effort to collaborate, share needs, and learn more about diverse populations residing in their service areas. Over 100 professionals, representing almost all of Florida’s hospice providers, participated in the two day Summit.

The impetus for the Summit was the recognition that although hospice care utilization has grown tremendously in the past 25 years, minority populations lag behind their white counterparts in accessing hospice care. The reasons for this disparity in access are varied, complex, and do not present easily identifiable solutions. Although many providers across the United States had tried a variety of efforts to better reach and serve minority populations, there were few that represented any sustainable or replicable success.

Studies have shown that although African-Americans represent 12.2% of the overall United States population, they present slightly over 8% of hospice patients.  Nationally, almost 81% of hospice patients are Caucasian. In Florida, which has a more ethnically diverse population than the rest of the country, there have been greater disparities in minority population utilization of hospice care. Population projections now estimate that Florida’s non-Caucasian residents will comprise 52% of the state’s population by 2010, so the need to effectively provide greater hospice access is critical to our state.

The 2007 Diversity Summit saw similar attendance and built upon the content of the inaugural Summit in 2006.

Our Sponsors