Compassus on Wednesday completed its partnership with the health system OhioHealth, a move aimed at improving care coordination and access.

Announced in June, the partnership joins the two organizations under the new brand OhioHealth at Home. Through the deal, Compassus acquired ownership interest in three of OhioHealth’s hospice locations and four of its home health locations.

The home-based provider will manage operations at the locations, with OhioHealth continuing to play a key role in care delivery and quality. The partnership will allow for better care transitions among chronic and seriously ill patients, according to Compassus CEO Mike Asselta.

“We are excited to officially launch OhioHealth at Home in partnership with Compassus, bringing high-quality, patient-centered home health and hospice care to our communities,” Asselta said in a statement shared with Hospice News. “Our coordination with the community and OhioHealth hospitals in Marion, central Ohio, Lexington and Athens will ensure patients receive seamless, comprehensive care right in the comfort of their homes.”

Compassus provides home health, home infusion, palliative and hospice care across 30 states. The home-based provider also offers advanced care management and skilled nursing facility-at-home services. Compassus’ 7,000 employees care for more than 120,000 patients annually.

Excluded from the partnership were hospice services at OhioHealth’s Athens and its inpatient facility the Kobacker House, which the nonprofit health system will continue to operate. Established in 1891, OhioHealth is supported in part by the United Methodist Church. The health system has a geographic service region spanning 50 counties in Ohio and operates more than 15 hospitals and roughly 200 ambulatory care sites statewide.

“OhioHealth is proud to provide patients and families with comprehensive care options for every stage of life,” Dr. Steve Markovich, president and CEO of OhioHealth, said in a statement. “Through our partnership with Compassus, we look forward to continuing to meet the needs of our communities with high-quality, compassionate care.”

The partnership expands Compassus’ existing presence across Ohio during a time of rising demand.

Similar to national trends, the Buckeye State is home to a growing volume of seniors, with adults 65 and older representing 18.4% of its overall population, the U.S. Census Bureau reported.

About 80,150 Medicare decedents utilized hospice in 2021, according to the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). California and Florida held the highest hospice utilization rates that year, at 156,000 and 154,521 descendants, respectively.

Compassus has formed similar arrangements as part of its overall strategic growth plans.

The organization recently entered a joint venture with Bon Secours Mercy Health (BSMH), which serves home health and hospice patients in Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia. Compassus also expanded last October through its JV with Ascension Health, branded as Ascension at Home.

Additionally, Compassus and VNS Health in June 2023 formed a value-based collaboration aimed at improving access, awareness and quality of hospice and palliative care services. The two home-based care organizations joined forces in a Medicare Advantage (MA) Value-Based Insurance Design (VBID) model partnership.