Texas-based Abundant Hospice recently opened doors to a new inpatient care facility that uses a disinfecting robot to sanitize patient rooms and areas within the building. Founded last year as the pandemic plagued the nation, the hospice developed the center with staff and patient safety as a main priority.
Abundant Hospice began serving patients in October 2020 as a family-owned company “with a dream and passion for providing outstanding care to hospice patients,” according to CEO and Co-founder Denise Jaworski. The Abundant Hospice Home was intentionally designed with not only staff and patient safety in mind through the use of disinfecting technology, but also to provide a tranquil, restorative environment for patients and their families at the end of life, according to Jaworski, who founded the company with Chief Operating Officer Nick Ortega.
“We recognized that there was an unmet need in San Antonio for an inpatient hospice home, and we are very proud to be able to offer a special environment and support for people who are going through a very challenging time,” Jaworski told Hospice News in an email. “We really wanted to be able to create a non-clinical, homelike environment where patients can pass with their loved ones while at the same time keeping patients, visitors and staff as safe as possible from COVID-19, the flu, etc.”
Abundant Hospice Home uses Xenex LightStrike UV disinfection robot for disinfection of surfaces. Called a “Ray of Sunshine”’ by the hospice’s leadership team, the machine uses pulsed xenon to emit bursts of UV light to destroy potentially harmful microorganisms, including the virus that causes COVID-19, according to Xenex.
The decision to incorporate Xenex technology into the facility’s cleaning protocols was significant, according to Jaworski, who told Hospice News that the added layer of protection gave the company peace of mind that was “well-worth the investment.”
The 8,400-square-foot commercial building was remodeled into an inpatient center featuring 12 private rooms with televisions that feature video conferencing capabilities. The facility has a chapel, a family-style kitchen, a dining room and a spa-like environment with a waterfall, a 350-gallon aquarium, massage treatment spaces and aromatherapy lounge.
Demand for end-of-life care is on the rise nationwide and in the Lone Star State. Seniors account for 12% of the San Antonio metropolitan area’s population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. State-wide, seniors comprise 12.9% of the population.
Hospice utilization in Texas reached 52.8% among Medicare decedents in 2018, according to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO). This climbs above the national average that year of 50.7%. Hospice utilization reached 51.6% of Medicare decedents nationwide during 2019, NHPCO reported.
Abundant Hospice plans to expand in the coming year, though staffing concerns are at top of mind amid industry-wide shortages, according to Jaworski. A contributing factor is a fear that federal vaccine mandates will deter potential recruits.
“We plan to continue to serve the greater San Antonio community. Looking ahead, we are planning to expand our services in the Austin and Dallas metro areas,” Jaworski said. “Our goal is to open similar homes in those markets by the middle of next year in 2022. My biggest concern is it will be hard to find compassionate and caring people to join our team who are willing to be vaccinated. There is a broad mix of opinions, which makes it very hard to manage the dynamics as a small business.”
COVID-19’s spread has brought an array of financial and operational strains that continue to pummel hospices.
Eligible staff at health care organizations that participate in Medicare or Medicaid will be required to be fully vaccinated prior to providing care, treatment or services by Jan. 4, according to recently issued emergency regulations from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA). The CMS rule applies to all organizations, regardless of size, requiring them to implement a vaccine policy by Dec. 5, whereas the OSHA requirement is applicable to companies with 100 or more employees. A number of states and other stakeholders are challenging the mandates in court.
Despite an increasingly competitive hospice landscape, Abundant Hospice is positive about its growth potential as a smaller business in the industry.
“As a small business, we are able to provide our patients with compassionate care, attention to detail and state-of-the-art technology. Our size enables us to be nimble and innovative, which is how we’re able to identify unmet needs like our new hospice home and quickly execute to make it happen,” said Jaworski. “To all the small business owners out there — keep pushing and don’t give up. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.”
Companies featured in this article:
Abundant Hospice, National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, Xenex