Hospice is built on compassion.

Hospice referrals are built on trust.

The reality is that hospice is also a highly competitive industry. Every referral source has options. Hospitals, physicians, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living communities, home health agencies, and case managers choose the agencies they trust most.

5 Tips to Get More Referrals

Here are five proven ways successful hospice agencies earn more referrals.

1. Start with Data

Every great care plan begins with an assessment, your referral strategy should, too.

Before setting goals or adding new accounts, understand where your referrals are coming from today.

The Pareto Principle, commonly known as the 80/20 Rule, applies to hospice as much as it does in any other industry. In many agencies, roughly 80% of referrals come from 20% of referral sources.

Action Steps

• Identify your top referral sources.
• Review how your marketing team spends its time.
• Ask whether each activity supports your highest-value relationships.
• Eliminate low-value activities that consume time without producing results.

Then create a work-back plan.

Start with where you want each representative to be one year from now. Work backward month by month. Define the milestones required to reach each successive month’s goal.

Most importantly, build realistic expectations and goals.

Quotas should be based on historical performance, market opportunity, and achievable growth. People perform best when expectations are challenging, measurable, and attainable.

2. Make Referring Patients Easy

Referral sources remember agencies that make their jobs easier.

Every extra form, call, and delay adds more friction to their already hectic day.

Examine your intake process for where you can reduce friction.

Can your team begin working a referral with only a patient name and contact information? Or does everything stop until every document and order arrives?

Healthcare is rarely perfect. Waiting for every piece of paperwork before taking action can delay care and frustrate referral partners.

Communication matters. If a patient isn’t eligible for hospice, explain why. Keep the referral source informed throughout the process. They should never wonder what happened after sending a patient your way.

Remember, technology should support patients, for example, electronic consents are convenient, but many patients and families still appreciate having a printed copy to review and keep.

Meet patients where they are to create a better experience.

3. Demonstrate Your Value

Don’t just tell referral sources you’re different. Show them.

Share stories that demonstrate the impact your agency makes, moments that reflect your agency’s care. When appropriate and with proper authorization, let referral partners see the difference their referral made in those patients’ journey.

Data is powerful.

Track meaningful outcomes such as reduced hospital readmissions, symptom management, patient satisfaction, or other quality measures that matter to your referral partners.

Present those results clearly with simple charts and clean graphics. rather than pages of statistics.

People remember outcomes.

4. Become a Trusted Resource

Relationships drive referrals. Meeting with referral sources should feel like consultations, not presentations.

• Know your referral sources.
• Know their patients.
• Know where every referral stands.
• The more informed your team is, the more valuable they become.

Technology plays an important role here. Mobile access to patient information allows staff to answer questions quickly instead of promising to “check with the office.”

Referral partners appreciate responsiveness and expertise.

Consider developing specialty knowledge within your team. A representative who understands oncology referrals may be more effective working with cancer centers, while another may excel building relationships with skilled nursing facilities or hospitals.

Finally, don’t overlook your digital presence. Referral sources will visit your website. Make sure it loads quickly, works properly on mobile devices, and reflects the professionalism and expertise your team demonstrates in person.

5. Earn Every Referral, Again

Receiving a referral isn’t the finish line, it’s a start. It’s the opportunity to showcase your agency and build a relationship.

• Acknowledge every referral promptly.
• Keep referral partners informed throughout the patient’s journey.
• Share important updates.
• Follow through on commitments.
• Importantly, say thank you. Follow up with a note of appreciation or personal visit. Genuine appreciation stands out.

Patients and families can also play a meaningful role.

When appropriate, encourage them to thank the physicians, hospitals, social workers, or facilities that helped connect them with hospice care.

Everyone likes feeling like they’ve made a difference.

Final Thoughts

Hospice referrals aren’t built through clever marketing, they’re built through consistency.

Agencies that communicate well, remove barriers, respond quickly, and deliver exceptional patient care become trusted partners.

Technology supports that mission, but relationships make it possible.

Hospice Tools delivers The Complete Hospice Platform. From the 1st touch with our beta HospiCRM with referral management and intake, through our CHAP verified EMR, TimeKeeper Timesheets with Mileage and Payroll, and eBilling with eligibility, clearinghouse, room & board, and more. Total visibility across all of your agency. Mobile apps, business intelligence, integrations, every part of the platform working together built for agencies like yours!

Click the Demo Tab to check out our video library or try out Hospice Tools yourself with our No-Risk Free-Trial!

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