TY - JOUR

T1 - Social Return on Investment Analysis: A Mixed Methods Approach to Assessing the Value of Adult Hospice Services

AU - Hughes, Nicole Marie

AU - Noyes, Jane

AU - Pritchard, Trystan

AU - Stringer, Carys

PY - 2025/1/27

Y1 - 2025/1/27

N2 - ObjectivesHospice services offer invaluable support to individuals facing life-limiting illnesses, however, quantifying their positive impact presents a challenge. As the demand for palliative care rises due to complex illnesses and an aging population, hospices face the need to prove their value. With funding primarily reliant on charitable donations and limited statutory support, they must demonstrate their effectiveness to secure additional resources in a competitive landscape. MethodsThis study employed the Social Return on Investment (SROI) framework to evaluate the social value generated by four hospice sites offering inpatient and day therapy services across North Wales. Through a mixed-methods approach, quantitative and qualitative data were collected to explore stakeholder experiences, values, and outcomes, facilitating a thorough examination of the broader social impact of hospice care. ResultsThe average input and output values for the inpatient unit were £602,100 and £1,667,861 respectively, thus returning a base case ratio of £2.77: £1. The day therapy unit had average input and output costs of £155,928 and £1,847,347 respectively, hence a base case ratio of £11.85: £1. Sensitivity analysis yielded estimates of between £2.20: £1 and £6.83: £1 for the inpatient unit and between £2:44: £1 and £19:51: £1 for the day therapy unit. ConclusionAs healthcare providers globally confront challenges with resource constraints, adopting value-driven methodologies becomes crucial. Embracing such methodologies fosters a more comprehensive understanding of value, transcending traditional metrics to encompass social, environmental, and long-term sustainability considerations.

AB - ObjectivesHospice services offer invaluable support to individuals facing life-limiting illnesses, however, quantifying their positive impact presents a challenge. As the demand for palliative care rises due to complex illnesses and an aging population, hospices face the need to prove their value. With funding primarily reliant on charitable donations and limited statutory support, they must demonstrate their effectiveness to secure additional resources in a competitive landscape. MethodsThis study employed the Social Return on Investment (SROI) framework to evaluate the social value generated by four hospice sites offering inpatient and day therapy services across North Wales. Through a mixed-methods approach, quantitative and qualitative data were collected to explore stakeholder experiences, values, and outcomes, facilitating a thorough examination of the broader social impact of hospice care. ResultsThe average input and output values for the inpatient unit were £602,100 and £1,667,861 respectively, thus returning a base case ratio of £2.77: £1. The day therapy unit had average input and output costs of £155,928 and £1,847,347 respectively, hence a base case ratio of £11.85: £1. Sensitivity analysis yielded estimates of between £2.20: £1 and £6.83: £1 for the inpatient unit and between £2:44: £1 and £19:51: £1 for the day therapy unit. ConclusionAs healthcare providers globally confront challenges with resource constraints, adopting value-driven methodologies becomes crucial. Embracing such methodologies fosters a more comprehensive understanding of value, transcending traditional metrics to encompass social, environmental, and long-term sustainability considerations.

U2 - 10.1016/j.jval.2025.01.004

DO - 10.1016/j.jval.2025.01.004

M3 - Article

JO - Value in Health

JF - Value in Health

SN - 1524-4733

ER -