Hospice of Washington County Relocates Offices, Palliative Care Clinic

Iowa-based Hospice of Washington County is rebuilding and relocating its administrative offices, which also houses the provider’s palliative care clinic. Executives have high hopes that the new location will not only improve patient access, but also staffing efficiencies.

The hospice received a $60,464 grant from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship to fund the rebuild, part of a statewide water quality improvement project.

The new space, set to open in August, will additionally allow staff to better connect patients and families with services, according to CEO Ernesto Lopez. The pandemic also played a role, he stated in the hospice’s Q1 newsletter.

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“My hope continues to be that we emerge from the fog of the pandemic. That we take the lessons that we’ve learned along the way and design better systems and frameworks of health care,” wrote Lopez. “Our goal this year is to transition from the fatigue of this ultra-marathon and sprint to the fading finish line. To ensure that we are not only taking great care of our patients and families, but that we are also taking great care of our staff and volunteers. Our renewed energy will be centered around our upcoming move to our new headquarters!”

The hospice is remodeling the office space in order to meet the unique needs of the organization, including serving as a central hub of communication, support and supplies for staff regarding patient care needs, Lopez continued.

Along with administrative offices, the location will be home to Hospice of Washington County’s outpatient palliative care clinic, along with its bereavement and grief counseling offices.

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Established in 1988, Hospice of Washington County provides palliative care services and facility- and home-based hospice to more than 200 patients annually across seven counties in southeastern Iowa.

Demographic tailwinds are anticipated to drive up demand for serious illness and end-of-life care in Iowa. About 17.7% of the state’s overall population are 65 or older, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. By 2030, seniors are projected to make up more than a quarter or 26.9% of the population.

Iowa ranked seventh nationwide in hospice utilization among Medicare decedents in 2018, with 56.2% electing the benefit, according to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. The national average reached 50.3% that year.

The new building will feature native plants in its landscaping and two bioretention cells that together will reduce and filter water runoff and control water flow into the local storm sewers. Additionally, areas of the property will also be utilized for composting and tillage to improve soil conditions and reduce nutrient runoff from neighboring creeks, according to local news.

Executive Director Katrina Altenhofe told local news the time was “bittersweet” but also ripe to move onto the hospice’s next chapter, indicating that flooding issues were a factor as well.

“It’s actually a huge moment for Washington County, because a lot of our water quality is focused on what producers can do and a lot of producers that I speak to also have urban issues as well,” water project coordinator Nicole Haney told local news. “This is going to bring some new light [that] there are things that we can do to help the water quality as well.”

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