HOSPICE DATA COLLECTION

Amends the Hospice Program Licensing Act. Requires the Department of Public Health to develop and implement a standardized system for collecting data from hospice providers across the State. Provides that the data shall include demographic information of hospice patients, including age, race, gender, and geographic location; service utilization metrics, such as average length of stay in hospice care and types of services provided; patient and family satisfaction data, collected through voluntary surveys; and workforce data, including the availability and turnover rates of hospice staff. Requires the data to be collected in compliance with applicable federal and State privacy laws. Provides that the Department shall compile an annual report summarizing key findings from the collected data, and requires the report to be submitted to the Governor and General Assembly and made publicly available on the Department's website.