JPlesa posted on April 02, 2010 12:00
HOSPICE & PALLIATIVE CARE OF CAPE COD EXPANDS SERVICE AREA THROUGH ACQUISITION OF BROCKTON BASED HOSPICE PROVIDER
HYANNIS – April 1, 2010 – Hospice & Palliative Care of Cape Cod and Hospice of Boston & Greater Brockton (“HOB”) have signed an asset purchase agreement whereby HOB will become a program of Hospice & Palliative Care of Cape Cod, continuing to provide hospice services throughout Plymouth, Bristol, Norfolk and Suffolk counties. Subject to the approval of the state Attorney General’s office, the transaction is anticipated to close before the end of April.
According to Ruth Capernaros, President and CEO of HOB, “Our two organizations enjoy a common history as pioneers in the non-profit hospice movement here in New England. We are very excited to be bringing together our shared heritage of providing high-quality care to our respective communities.”
The management and staff of both organizations are committed to ensuring a seamless transition with continuity of care and service being top priorities. To this end, HOB patients and families will continue to be cared for by their existing hospice team members, including nurses, home health aides, social workers, chaplains and volunteers. The clinical and office staff will all become employees of Hospice & Palliative Care of Cape Cod (“H&PCCC”) and will continue to operate from their service location in Brockton, supported by H&PCCC’s Hyannis-based infrastructure and administrative personnel. Retaining its long-standing, local reputation for delivery of quality care, HOB will retain its brand identity and name. It will operate as a program of H&PCCC, seeking to expand its reach by building upon its valued relationships with physicians, hospital, long-term care, assisted living and home health agency personnel, vendors, other healthcare professionals and community agencies.
States David Rehm, President and CEO of H&PCCC, “This expansion is a natural step for us, one that is consistent with both our strategic vision and our stated mission. The joining together of our organizations creates an opportunity to increase access to hospice care, bringing our unique ‘Open Door’ philosophy to a broader and underserved population, creating a contiguous service area spanning Provincetown to Boston. And, through this kind of thoughtful strategic growth, we can reach a level of critical mass that will enable us to serve in new ways, strengthening our long-term viability and community value on Cape Cod and beyond.”
Through its Open Door approach, H&PCCC is committed to reaching out and serving all who are eligible for and entitled to the full range of hospice services, regardless of complexity of care or ability to pay. The approach simplifies admission criteria, enabling patients to receive services earlier and optimize their quality of life, without foregoing any types of treatment that may be beneficial to them. In the two years since its inception, the Open Door approach has resulted in a significant increase in the number of patients receiving care. H&PCCC has also extended its reach by bringing its services to Martha’s Vineyard, through its Island Hospice program, collaborating with both the Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard and Vineyard Nursing Association.
Ruth Capernaros, who is planning to retire in April, is the founding CEO of HOB, having provided her vision, organizational leadership and service to HOB and the surrounding communities for over thirty years. In the coming months, the HOB Board intends to use proceeds from the sale of the organization to establish a stand-alone foundation that provides grants to individuals and other non-profits, to facilitate the receipt of hospice, end of life, and palliative services.
H&PCCC also expects to establish a fundraising arm in support of the local HOB program to benefit the local population it serves, just as H&PCCC’s raises funds for the express benefit of its local Cape Cod residents.
Adds Rehm, “We are so pleased with this transition because of the mission alignment of our two organizations: both non-profit entities serving our communities out of a fundamental passion for providing dignity and compassion to those who need it most.”
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Hospice & Palliative Care of Cape Cod is Cape Cod’s first and largest hospice organization offering expert care, comfort and compassion for those living with serious illness. Founded in 1981, it is unique in its exclusive dedication to providing a wide range of end-of-life programs and service throughout the Cape, southeastern Plymouth County, and on Martha’s Vineyard through its Island Hospice program. For more information call 508-957-0200 or go to www.hospicecapecod.org
Established in 1979 as the first hospice in the city of Boston, Hospice of Boston & Greater Brockton is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to helping terminally ill patients and their families receive quality care to ease the physical and emotional pain of terminal illness, while promoting a dignified experience and understanding of death. For more information, call 508-583-0383 or 617-439-4419, or go to www.hospiceboston-brockton.com.