Planning Triage Coverage for the Holidays

The holidays bring warmth, tradition, and gatherings, but for home health and hospice leaders, they also bring unique challenges. Patient needs can become more complicated, and symptoms don’t follow your PTO schedule. Balancing it all requires thoughtful triage planning that gives staff the well-deserved time with their families while ensuring patients continue to receive the high-quality care your organization is known for.

At CareXM, we have access to more triage data than any other post-acute provider. Looking at three years of holiday call data, clear patterns emerge that can help guide your coverage decisions. While these numbers reflect average trends across our ecosystem, they can serve as a directional benchmark as you plan for your own organization.

Here’s how we’ve seen call volume change around the major holidays:

• Thanksgiving Day: +13%

• Black Friday: +16%

• Christmas Eve: -13%

• Christmas Day: +16%

• New Year’s Eve: +4%

• New Year’s Day: +37%

One of the most significant trends occurs when holidays fall on a weekend and are observed on a weekday. In 2023, when New Year’s Day was observed on a Monday, call volume surged 199%, an even sharper increase than the holiday itself. As you plan your coverage, be sure to plan coverage accordingly and treat observed days as peak demand.

What those calls are about

Looking at volume is only half the story. Understanding call types provides insight into both clinical urgency and administrative demand.

• Visit status and scheduling questions were the #1 call category on holidays in 2025 so far and consistently ranked in the top three in 2024 and 2023. These calls can often be reduced through proactive communication about visit timing and next steps.

• Looking at symptom management calls, the most common call codes seen include death, bladder concerns, falls, skin/wound issues, and respiratory changes. These require clinical expertise and immediate attention. Reducing administrative calls frees your triage nurses to prioritize these urgent needs.

Key takeaways for holiday planning

Holiday coverage doesn’t have to feel unpredictable. By planning for both the volume and the type of calls, you create a strategy that reassures families, gives staff breathing room, and keeps care consistent. As you prepare, consider:

1. Understand your numbers. Your call patterns may differ from these averages. Review your own historical data and plan for your unique spikes.
2. Balance clinical and administrative needs. Don’t just plan for volume. Anticipate what kinds of calls you’ll get and close coordination gaps in advance.
3. Look beyond the holiday itself. Extend planning to surrounding days, staff PTO, and holidays that may be unique to your team or community.
4. Protect your team. Build flexibility into coverage to prevent burnout while maintaining timely patient care. For many organizations, overflow triage support can be a valuable option during the holidays and year-round.

If you’re a CareXM customer, your Account Manager can help review your call data and identify patterns. If you’re looking for coverage options or support with holiday planning, it may not be too late. Contact us to learn more!