Community Mercy Hospice Announces Ohio’s Hospice Collaboration

Community Mercy Hospice is the newest collaborator in the Ohio’s Hospice family. This strategic group is committed to sustaining not-for-profit, community-based hospice care in Ohio. Other members of Ohio’s Hospice include; Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton®, Hospice of Central Ohio, Ohio’s Hospice of Miami County, Ohio’s Hospice of Butler & Warren Counties and Community Care Hospice.

As recently as 15 years ago, the majority of hospice care in the United States was provided by not-for-profit, community-based hospices. Today 65% of all hospice providers are for profit.

Community Mercy Hospice, previously a program of Community Mercy Health Partners based in Springfield, is a not-for-profit hospice that is now operated by Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton. Community Mercy Hospice has 42 staff members and 70 volunteers who provide care for more than 500 patients and families annually. Community Mercy Hospice and Ohio’s Hospice affiliates have long operated as community-based, not-for-profit organizations. What this means for the community is that as a not-for-profit, more of the organization’s revenue goes directly into providing superior care and superior services for the patients and families they serve, rather than to shareholders. That approach to care continues to be the foundation of Ohio’s Hospice services.

Ohio’s Hospice was established in 2013 as a collaboration of Hospice of Dayton, Hospice of Butler & Warren Counties and Hospice of Miami County to ensure the long-term success of the shared mission of serving more patients and their families with even higher levels of hospice care. Hospice of Central Ohio and Community Care Hospice joined the group in 2015, while Community Care and Community Mercy announced their collaborations with the group in 2016.

Now along with Community Mercy Hospice, the members of Ohio’s Hospice deliver:

• More visits and direct care to patients than any other regional hospice provider; together they serve more than 8,300 patients annually.
• More resources to provide care to patients and their families, like respiratory therapy, massage, occupational, grief and bereavement services and art therapies; they have nearly 900 employees in 29 counties.
• More support by serving patients wherever they call home, in every care setting, including extended care facilities, assisted living facilities, hospice houses and hospital in-patient settings.

“Together with Community Mercy Hospice, Ohio’s Hospice will set the highest standard of care to ensure Ohioans have access to world class end-of-life and palliative care. Each local collaboration is strengthened by sharing resources and is better able to respond to the increasing regulatory challenges and a declining reimbursement environment,” said Kent Anderson, President and CEO of Ohio’s Hospice. “By expanding our collaboration, we can continue to grow, protect jobs and maintain strong relationships with local partners.”