Life Matters Newsletter - Spring / Summer 2021
“We are gaining a highly regarded partner in Hospice Cleveland County and increasing our ability to serve all who are in need. This opportunity further enables us to provide a seamless continuum of care across a broad geographic region.” - Peter A. Brunnick, President & CEO, Hospice & Palliative Care Charlotte Region
Hospice & Palliative Care Charlotte Region (HPCCR) is committed to providing exceptional end-of-life care beyond the Charlotte area. As part of that pledge, we are expanding access through a partnership with our neighbor to the west, Hospice Cleveland County (HCC). This combination of two hospices with stellar reputations will create an opportunity to leverage the talents of our staffs to broaden our reach, respond to care needs, and stay ahead of health care changes.
Both organizations are not-for-profits who have strong community ties and provide access to uninsured and underinsured patients and families through generous donations. The two respected leaders have a combined 50 plus years of experience in the hospice industry. The collective organization will now serve over 2,600 patients daily across 28 counties in North and South Carolina at six hospice houses, or in homes, hospitals, and other in-patient facilities.
HPCCR President & CEO Peter Brunnick states, “We are gaining a highly regarded partner in Hospice Cleveland County and increasing our ability to serve all who are in need. This opportunity further enables us to provide a seamless continuum of care across a broad geographic region."
With constant evolution in healthcare policy, Medicare reimbursement, and delivery, Brunnick said the combined resources of the two hospice providers will help the organization stay ahead of change, remain competitive, and respond to patient and family care needs. HPCCR and HCC have collaborated frequently over the years, and both achieve superior rankings on the federal government’s Hospice Compare quality measures of hospice providers nationally.
The combination with HCC brings two more hospice houses into the fold: Wendover Hospice House in Shelby and Testa Family Hospice House in Kings Mountain. Both organizations use a holistic hospice approach with collaborative teams of care providers for patients and families.
“This is great news for Cleveland County and the Charlotte region as we combine two community-based, not-for-profit hospice providers committed to delivering the best possible care for patients – regardless of their ability to pay or the complexity of their illnesses,” says Myra McGinnis, who will continue as president of Hospice Cleveland County. “Unlike the for-profit providers that are increasingly entering this region, our organizations have been here for decades, so we know our communities, our patients and our healthcare providers – and we put their interests first.”
For over 36 years, Hospice Cleveland County has served thousands of patients and their families in Cleveland, Gaston, and Rutherford counties. Hospice & Palliative Care Charlotte Region is the state’s first hospice, founded 43 years ago, and provides a range of services in the Carolinas, including four hospice houses. Our joint desire is to spread our mission to relieve suffering and improve the quality and dignity of life through compassionate hospice care for those at end-of-life, palliative care for those with advanced illness, and through community education.
Visit https://www.hpccr.org/life-matters-spring-summer-2021 to read more from our Spring / Summer 2021 Edition of the Life Matters Newsletter.