I heard New York ranks low in hospice utilization when compared to other states. What does that mean?

Unfortunately, New York has one of the lowest hospice utilization rates in the country. Compared to other states, New Yorkers access hospice care less. In New York, only 3 out of every 10 people who are eligible for hospice care end up receiving this care. Of New Yorkers who do receive hospice, about a third are enrolled for less than one month, and about a third are enrolled for less than one week (in our state, the average length of time a patient receives hospice is only 17 to 19 days). Lack of awareness of hospice, and reluctance of medical providers to recommend hospice, are some of the reasons why New York has such low utilization.