Some hospices have made recent changes to their c-suite executive and administrative leadership lineups.

Hospice & Palliative Care of Western Kentucky’s New CEO

Blake Edge has taken the helm as the new CEO of Hospice & Palliative Care of Western Kentucky.

Edge replaces Brenda Knollenberg, who recently retired after leading the organization since 2020. Knollenberg recommended Edge for the role, who has served as a board chair member at Hospice & Palliative Care of Western Kentucky.

Edge was previously director of community and economic development for the Green River Area Development District in Kentucky for more than five years. He has also served as operations manager at S&S Earthscapes.

“We have a mission of helping people live with dignity through the final stages of their lives,” Edge told local news. “And there’s a big part of that phrase that people often miss — live. Our goal is to not just give someone a place to go to die, but [also] to help them enjoy the final stages of their life.”

Hospice & Palliative Care of Western Kentucky provides care across four counties in its home state. Established in 1978, the hospice and palliative care provider was incorporated in 1980 and served its first patient in 1982. The organization operates an inpatient facility, The Heartford House, located in Owensboro, Kentucky.

Mirasol Health Names New CMO

MiraSol Health has named Dr. Rahul Parimoo as its new chief medical officer.

Parimoo has nearly 25 years of clinical and academic leadership experience including faculty appointments at the University of Florida, Indiana University and Weill Cornell Medicine. He most recently served as an attending physician for the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs of North Florida and South Georgia.

“We’re proud to announce that Dr. Rahul Parimoo has joined MiraSol Health as our new chief medical officer, marking a major milestone for our organization and the Lowcountry community,” the organization stated in a recent social media post. “As the region’s first advanced illness and hospice-focused CMO, he’ll be instrumental in advancing our mission of delivering compassionate, compliant and clinically excellent care.”

Previously Hospice Care of the Lowcountry, South Carolina-based MiraSol Health rebranded in 2024. The rebrand reflected the organization’s growing scope of services for seriously and terminally ill patients and contains the Latin word “Sol,” meaning “sun.” Since the rebrand, MiraSol Health launched a new behavioral health program this year designed to amplify emotional and psychological support for its hospice and palliative care patients.

LifeTouch Health’s New VP, COO

LifeTouch Health has appointed Jessica Ellis as its new vice president and COO. 

Ellis has more than 20 years of experience in health care operations and leadership. She will oversee operational functions of LifeTouch Health and work to ensure the high quality as the organization expands its continuum of care.

Ellis previously held leadership roles at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, focusing on organizational growth, operational improvements and patient outcomes. Her background also includes positions in finance, clinical operations, health care communication and practice management.

She will play a key role in the hospice provider’s evolution and growth, according to LifeTouch Health President and CEO Dr. Brian Bell.

“We are thrilled to welcome Jessica to the LifeTouch Health family,” Bell said in an announcement shared with Hospice News. “Her expertise and leadership will be instrumental in advancing our mission to provide compassionate, high-quality care while expanding our services to meet the evolving needs of our community.”

Formerly Arkansas Hospice’s Family of Care, LifeTouch Health recently rebranded to better reflect its increasingly diverse range of services. Arkansas Hospice acquired LifeTouch Hospice in 2023 after acquiring the organization from SHARE Foundation at the time, a nonprofit, faith-based organization. The nonprofit has provided hospice across Arkansas since 1992. LifeTouch Health also offers bereavement, veterans and advance care planning services. personal, primary and palliative care. LifeTouch Health has an average daily census of nearly 2,000 patients. 

New Administrator Steps Forward at Care Synergy

The Colorado-based hospice provider collaborative Care Synergy has hired Denise Black-Andersen as its new medical practice administrator.

Black-Anderson oversees Care Synergy’s operational management and administrative leadership teams for its hospice, palliative care, and Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE ) services. She is also responsible for ensuring quality, compliance and efficiency across interdisciplinary care teams.

Black-Andersen joins the hospice collaborative with experience in health care administration, operations and program development. She previously served as director of oncology at Intermountain Health, where she oversaw 230 employees across nine cancer centers. Prior to that, Black-Andersen served as hospice and palliative care administrator, among other roles, at Lutheran Medical Center.

“Denise’s proven ability to lead complex healthcare operations, improve patient access and develop high-performing teams makes her an exceptional addition to Care Synergy,” Tim Bowen, president and CEO of Care Synergy, said in a statement shared with Hospice News. “Her expertise will help ensure our programs deliver the highest quality care while supporting staff and organizational growth.”

Care Synergy emerged in 2021 as a regional collaborative of hospice companies. Its affiliates include the Colorado Visiting Nurse Association (CVNA), The Denver Hospice, Pathways Hospice, Colorado PACE, Pikes Peak Hospice & Palliative Care and Superior Medical Equipment.

Each provider operates as its own distinct and independent entity while working together to share best practices and generate cost-sharing efficiencies in a strategic collaboration. The collaborative provides a shared pool of services such as accounting, payroll, revenue cycle and treasury management, information technology (IT), human resources, compliance, education, and marketing and communications.