Florida-based Big Bend Hospice and the Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare system are partnering to provide transitional care to seriously and terminally ill patients.
The initiative is designed to ensure smooth and effective transitions of care and to prevent patients from slipping through the cracks in a fragmented health care system. The partnership establishes a network of interconnected health care services intended to facilitate seamless patient transitions between settings, according to a statement from the two companies.
“Meeting the healthcare needs of our region necessitates strategic alliances, “Mark O’Bryant, president and CEO of Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, said in the statement. “We are proud to partner with Big Bend Hospice to develop innovative care models that allow people to receive excellent care at home, where they feel most comfortable.”
Together, the transitional care program can provide a broader range of integrated home-based services, including physical therapy, chronic disease management and hospice care. Over time, the organizations plan to expand the number of available services.
Both partners will contribute strategic guidance to the program, with Big Bend managing the operations, business development and clinical services.
The partnership also includes the establishment of a new hospice inpatient unit at the hospital, branded as the First Commerce Center for Compassionate Care (FCCCC).
“Big Bend Hospice has over 40 years of providing 24/7 in-home care and hospice services to the communities in Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Taylor, and Wakulla counties,” said Bill Wertman, CEO of Big Bend Hospice, in a statement. “We look forward to leveraging our expertise in home-based care while continuing to provide the compassionate care our community has come to know us for.”