Michael Smith recently took the helm as president and CEO of Hospice & Palliative Care of Iredell County (HPCIC) in North Carolina. He succeeds Terri Phillips, who led the organization since 2007 before retiring.

Smith relocated from Virginia back to his home state after serving as chief financial officer for Hospice of the Piedmont, where he helped to launch the organization’s palliative care program. He comes on board at Iredell County at a time when the pandemic is making choppy seas for serious illness and end-of-life care providers.

“The past year(s) have been challenging for everyone, but despite those challenges, HPCIC continues to adhere to their mission of honoring life by providing extraordinary care with compassion, comfort and dignity to our patients, families and communities,” said Smith. “I’m very excited and honored to join this amazing team that is so dedicated to their community. We will continue to use this as the foundation for every decision we make as an organization. I look forward to serving all the community’s patients and families in need.”

Established in 1984, Hospice & Palliative Care of Iredell County is a community-based provider that serves patients across 10 counties in North Carolina. The organization provides care in the home, at hospitals and in assisted living or skilled nursing facilities in the region.

Inpatient care is provided through two locations: the Gordon Hospice House and the S. Mitchell Mack Hospice House. The organization also offers palliative care services through its Pathways Palliative Care Program, which previous CEO Phillips played a key role in developing during her tenure.

Hospice utilization among Medicare descendents in North Carolina reached 49.6% during 2018, according to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. This falls slightly below that year’s national average of 50.3%.

Demographic tailwinds are fueling demand for hospice in the Tar Heel State. Seniors make up 16.7% of North Carolina’s overall population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The North Carolina Department of Human Services projects that roughly one in five people statewide will be 65 and older by 2025, increasing from 1.6 million to 2.6 million during the next two decades.

Having a dedicated staff has been fundamental to success and sustainability in providing care, according to former HPCIC CEO Phillips.

“As this incredible chapter of my life ends, I am grateful to our staff, volunteers and community for the opportunity to serve as CEO,” Phillips said. “It has been my greatest honor to work with such an exceptionally dedicated group of health care professionals and see the impact of what it means to make a difference in the lives of so many people every single day. I am proud of what we have accomplished together, and [I] know HPCIC will continue to be an extraordinary provider of hospice and palliative care in the years to come.”