San Diego Hospice Corporation

What it reported doing in 2010

Founded in 1977, san diego hospice and the institute for palliative medicine (sdhipm) was the first hospice program established in the san diego area. Our mission centers on relieving pain and suffering, including physical, emotional, social and spiritual pain experienced during serious illness or at the end of life. Through impeccable quality of services to patients and their loved ones, as well as providing professional education to clinicians at our world-renowned institute for palliative medicine, sdhipm seeks to change for the better the way people face death and dying.sdhipm serves people of all ages across the entire san diego county region. We care for nearly 1,200 patients a day in their homes, acute-care settings, long-term care facilities and through our inpatient care center, the only free-standing hospice hospital in California. Community events sponsored by sdhipm educate more than 78,000 people each year. Sdhipm's institute for palliative medicine (the institute) is the preeminent provider of professional education in palliative medicine and the world leader in palliative medicine research. The institute has played a major role in establishing the global groundwork for education and research in palliative medicine, as well as integrating palliative medicine into healthcare systems such as hospitals and long-term-care facilities. The institute's center for advanced learning trains more than 3,400 clinicians (physicians, nurses, social workers, pharmacists and clergy) from around the world each year in palliative care. The institute's physician fellowship program is the largest in the u.s., with both u.s. Fellows and fellows from developing countries. The institute's center for research completed 5 studies during the year and has 40 active studies funded by the national institute for health or private foundations. Sdhipm's center for grief care and education is a resource offering emotional support and education about grief, loss and change before and after a death. Our grief and bereavement services annually reach over 9,500 individuals of all ages. Our center for grief care and education educates and employs highly trained therapists that offer a variety of individualized services using various therapeutic modalities, with individuals, families, groups, and through workshops and specialized children's programs.sdhipm's comprehensive case management programs (ccmp) focus on helping people of all ages who are living with long-term illnesses. We bring them emotional and practical support that helps them maintain their independence, manage their lives, and deal with the challenges they face daily. Services provided by ccmp are made possible by state and federal funds through state waiver programs, and there are no out-of-pocket expenses for any of our clients. Ccmp includes our HIV/AIDS case management program where we coordinate daily living issues for clients that are medical, legal, financial, housing and transportation related, as well as provide education to them in managing their disease. Ccmp also includes our partners for children program, a pediatric palliative care state waiver program approved in october of 2009, which offers services to children in need. This program provides palliative case management services to medi-cal and ccs (California child service) approved children with life-threatening illnesses. The program allows these children to receive palliative services concurrent with curative treatments. Services include care coordination, family education and training, expressive therapies, respite care and support counseling for child and family.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: Limited
• Program expense ratio: Limited
• Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: 2 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 25
  • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
  • Requires narrative reports: Limited
  • Conducts field audits: Limited
  • May suspend future funding: Limited
  • Requires financial reports: Pass
  • Conducts site visits: Limited
  • Requires grant agreements: Limited
  • May require repayment: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 50%; rating input score 50; 9th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 95.7%; rating input score 96; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -0.6%; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.25; rating input score 8; 8th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.48; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 2.7%; rating input score 34; 34th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: Limited
• Revenue growth: 7.8% per year; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: -11.9% per year; rating input score 0; 5th percentile among comparable filings