St. Croix Hospice, based in St. Paul, Minn., further expanded its reach of services across the Midwest with a new location in LaCrosse, Wisc. The investment into the state’s hospice market has the potential to impact more than a million senior citizens living in that state.
St. Croix is a portfolio company of the Chicago-based private equity firm the Vistria Group.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau Wisconsin residents older than 60 totaled 1.3 million or 22.6%. As aging populations exponentially increase across the nation, investing in regional Midwest market areas holds several benefits for St. Croix Hospice and the expanded communities it will serve in Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Trempealeau and Vernon counties.
Wisconsin is eighth in the nation in hospice utilization with 54.2% of Medicare decedents electing hospice during 2017. Utah leads the nation in utilization at 59.4%
“Now more than ever, we can be there when western Wisconsin patients and families need us the most,” said Sarah Roseth, St. Croix Hospice regional director of clinical operations.
The new La Crosse branch will provide hospice support resources to families, caregivers and providers. Resources such as predictive modeling technology will be part of the de novo’s programming, building upon the company’s Voyage Vigil Program, “which strives to increase provider bedside presence at the end of life,” according to St. Croix.
“The Voyage Vigil Program ensures patients receive maximum comfort and companionship at the end of life,” adds Roseth. “The clinical team’s presence in those important final days gives patients and families the support they deserve.”
St. Croix’s continued growth across the Midwest region will build connections in the new Wisconsin branch by bringing resources to the area’s health systems, hospitals and various other referral sources.
St. Croix is on a growth trajectory, opening six de novos in Wisconsin, Nebraska and Minnesota during the past 12 months.
Earlier this month, the company entered the Missouri market via the purchase of Serenity Care Hospice in Harrison, Mo., for an undisclosed amount. Serenity Care Hospice serves about 100 patients daily in five Missouri counties.
In August of last year, the company also acquired Brookfield, Wis.-based Hometown Hospice & Homecare for an undisclosed sum. Hometown consists of three hospice and home health operations in eastern Wisconsin.
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