Maxim Healthcare (Maxim), a national provider of continuous skilled nursing services and personal and behavioral care, highlighted the rapidly growing demand for home-based healthcare services and recognized the states leading the way in supporting medically fragile children and families through sustained investments in private duty nursing (PDN) programs.

According to recent projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), healthcare-related fields are expected to grow significantly faster than the overall labor market between now and 2034. Caregiving jobs are among the fastest-growing occupational groups.

The need is especially acute in home and community-based care, including private duty nursing (PDN), which provides one-on-one skilled nursing services that allow medically fragile children and adults to remain at home. Demand for these services continues to increase, but providers face significant workforce challenges. Hospitals and other healthcare employers often have advantages in recruiting nurses, leaving home-based care providers competing for a limited pool of qualified professionals. As a result, many families struggle to secure the nursing support necessary to keep their loved ones safely at home. As demand for in-home care accelerates, the healthcare infrastructure and workforce investments must evolve to meet the moment.

“These projections underscore the growing need for skilled caregivers and reinforce the importance of investing in a strong workforce to meet the evolving needs of patients and families,” said Jarrod DePriest, President and CEO of Maxim Healthcare. “Private duty nursing can make a meaningful difference for families by helping individuals receive skilled care in the comfort of their homes and communities. As states consider how best to meet growing healthcare needs, home-based nursing services remain an important option for supporting patients, caregivers and the broader healthcare system.”

Across the country, several states have emerged as national leaders by funding, or continuing to fund, PDN programs at levels that support workforce stability, patient access and high-quality outcomes.

Massachusetts has set a particularly high bar by pairing competitive reimbursement structures and strong state educational support for skilled nursing services delivered in the home with rigorous program requirements. Through its Medicaid program, the state has invested in access to continuous skilled nursing services that help children and adults with complex health care needs receive care in their homes and communities.

Similarly, states like Georgia and Virginia have maintained support for in-home skilled nursing programs even amid budget pressures and broader healthcare funding uncertainty. Studies1,2 in many states suggest that these investments actually save money in the Medicaid system by helping offer new workforce opportunities and keeping individuals out of hospitals. Regardless of party affiliation, budget-minded leaders have invested in PDN programs because the Medicaid program was built for these services and children need access to care through no fault of their own.

“Investment in home-based skilled nursing continues to prove itself as a ‘triple win’ across the healthcare system,” continued DePriest. “Funding private duty nursing is a win for patients and families to receive quality care in the comfort and stability of their own homes; a win for hospitals by reducing overcrowding and avoidable extended stays; and, a win for states that can realize substantial cost savings through reduced hospital utilization including an estimated $175 million annually in avoided hospital stays.”

As the nation faces growing healthcare workforce shortages and increasing demand for long-term in-home care services, Maxim continues to advocate nationwide to strengthen reimbursement structures, expand workforce pipelines and support sustainable home-based care models that improve outcomes for families and communities.

“Families should not have to choose between bringing their child home and accessing the skilled nursing care they need,” said DePriest. “The states making meaningful investments in private duty nursing are demonstrating that compassionate policy and fiscal responsibility go hand in hand.”

Maxim is consistently hiring across the country, with open positions at headquarters, and across all sectors including recruitment, business development, field operations and clinical and caregiver roles. To learn more about job opportunities at Maxim, please visit: https://careers.maximhealthcare.com/us/en.

About Maxim Healthcare

For more than 35 years, we have been making a difference in patients’ lives by providing excellent service and compassionate care. We offer skilled nursing, personal care, respite care, behavioral care and physical rehabilitation for individuals with chronic and acute illnesses and disabilities. Visit maximhealthcare.com for more information.

1 https://calhps.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Estimating-the-Cost-of-Caring-for-Children-Revised-7_28_23.pdf

2 https://themengesgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Pennsylvania-Medicaid-Private-Duty-Nursing-Payment-Rates.pdf

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