VITAS, Gentiva, Home Health & Hospice Care Expand Inpatient Services; Banner Health Shutters Hospice Programs in Phoenix

VITAS Healthcare Expands Hospital-Based Inpatient Hospice Center

Chemed Corp. (NYSE: CHE) VITAS Healthcare recently expanded its inpatient hospice care unit at the Florida-based Broward Health Medical Center.

The inpatient facility now has 12 patient beds, up from eight prior to the renovations. VITAS expects to serve roughly 550 patients annually at the center.

“VITAS is proud to continue our ongoing partnership with Broward Health,” Kathleen Coronado,

senior general manager at VITAS Healthcare said in a statement shared with Hospice News. “These additional patient rooms allow us to help meet the demand of more individuals choosing high-quality hospice care that aligns with their end-of-life goals and wishes.”

Miami-based VITAS has provided community- and facility-based hospice care in the Broward County area since 1980.

The company opened the facility at the Broward Health Medical Center in 2022, which is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Patients at the hospital-based center receive care in a home-like clinical setting that includes overnight accommodations for friends and family. An interdisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, social workers, chaplains, volunteers and bereavement experts provide 24/7 care.

Service animals are permitted at the inpatient hospice. Additionally, VITAS’ Paw Pals program provides pet visit services to patients and their families.

VITAS Healthcare

Updates to the facility will allow patients to have better care experiences, according to Aurelio Fernandez III, interim president and CEO of Broward Health.

“At Broward Health Medical Center, we remain steadfast in our commitment to comprehensive

Health care, encompassing the crucial aspects of medical treatment and the invaluable comfort of

palliative and end-of-life care,” Fernandez said. “Through the expansion of this VITAS hospice floor, we’re better equipped to extend compassionate services to more patients, ensuring smoother transitions to the specialized care they deserve.”

The expanded facility marks the second such initiative this year. VITAS in March opened an inpatient center at Broward Health Coral Springs that also features 12 patient beds, along with a kitchen and a family room. VITAS began operating the facility in 2021, which also replaced a temporary unit with eight patient beds, similar to the Broward Health Medical Center’s previous capacity.

VITAS is among the largest hospice nationwide, operating 50 hospice programs in 14 states and in the District of Columbia. The company has 25 Inpatient facilities, and has 10,443 staff that provide care to an average daily census of 19,047.

Gentiva Opens De Novo in Tennessee

Gentiva has opened a new hospice in Greeneville, Tennessee, the latest move in the company’s growth trajectory.

The de novo opened earlier this month, and will serve patients, families and facilities across both Greene and Cooke counties in eastern Tennessee.

“We value being authentic, showing compassion and embracing accountability. Our goal is to ensure that every patient is provided with comfort, dignity and respect while receiving care from our services,” Melanie Johnson, executive director of the Greene County Partnership told local news.

The new location adds to the company’s more than 590 locations across 38 states.

Gentiva is a portfolio company of the private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CDR). The Atlanta-based provider offers hospice, palliative and personal care services.

Gentiva was born from the former hospice and personal care segments of Kindred at Home. CDR last year purchased a 60% stake from the insurance mammoth Humana, Inc., (NYSE: HUM) for $2.8 billion.

The company’s biggest growth move came in February when Gentiva announced plans to acquire Heartland Hospice and other assets from the nonprofit health system ProMedica.

The deal was completed last month and marked a “significant milestone” for Gentiva, according to David Causby, president and CEO.

Though financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed, Heartland is valued at $710 million, according to a Bloomberg report. The Ohio-based hospice provider has locations in 26 states.

Home Health & Hospice Care Reopens Renovated Inpatient Center

Home Health & Hospice Care (HHHC) has reopened its inpatient facility in New Hampshire after expanding with a new addition.

The Community Hospice House opened in November and serves patients in Merrimack, New Hampshire. Renovations to the center included six new private patient suites.

The expansion will allow Home Health & Hospice Care to serve an additional 230 patients each year, leaders told local news. All told, the hospice anticipates serving more than 600 patients annually at the center going forward, HHHC President and CEO Barbara Lafrance told local news.

The inpatient facility serves both adult and pediatric hospice patients and features a home-like environment with areas for family gatherings and gardens that surround the property.

“We are honored to provide individuals of all ages a place where they can find comfort and peace as they approach the end of their lives,” the organization stated in an announcement. “Both young and old alike have lived their final days at the Community Hospice House, surrounded by family and friends. The length of stay is highly individual, ranging from days to months.”

Established in 1883 as a Visiting Nurse Association (VNA), HHHC provides home care, hospice and bereavement services, as well as caregiver resources. The hospice provider serves 25 counties across southern New Hampshire.

HHHC in 2021 merged with SolutionHealth for an undisclosed amount. The inpatient facility was included in the affiliation between the two nonprofit organizations.

Post-acute provider SolutionHealth is the parent organization of the Elliot Health System and Southern New Hampshire Health. The health system had more than 1,000 health care providers and 6,500 staff at the time of the merger.

Banner Health Shutters Hospice Operations in Phoenix

Banner Health has closed its hospice operations in Phoenix.

Hospice of the Valley will take over the health system’s hospice operations, with patients in that region currently transitioning to the nonprofit’s program. In addition to Phoenix, Hospice of the Valley also serves communities in Tucson, Arizona. The hospice provider operates nine inpatient centers and also offers palliative and home-based care.

Some of Banner Health’s staff will also come under Hospice of the Valley’s umbrella. Thus far, roughly 100 hospice employees at the Banner Health location have transferred, Banner Health President Amy Perry told local news.

“Banner Health has transitioned its hospice service to Hospice of the Valley for the Phoenix and Tucson metropolitan areas,” Perry said. “This strategic change allows us to have access to a much larger hospice network and a provider that we respect and trust.”

Other locations within Banner Health’s geographic footprint were not impacted by the closure. The nonprofit health system operates 30 hospitals and specialized care facilities, including hospices, across six states. Banner Health has more than 50,000 employees.