Home Health & Hospice Week

Plus: Hospice facilities open, close.

The Hospice of North Central Ohio and Hospice of the Western Reserve have put the wheels in motion to merge by this summer.

The board of directors of Ashland-based HNCO has approved a letter of intent to enter into a management services agreement with Cleveland-based HWR for 90 days as of Jan. 30, according to a release. The “due diligence process” is “in preparation for a summer merger,” HNCO notes in a statement on its socials.

The hospices cite increased competition and economic challenges as reasons for the deal.

In 1982, the Hospice of Knox County formed and in 1988, the Hospice of Ashland County was founded, later changing to HNCO. They merged in 2014, HNCO says. It also operates Hospice of Richland County.

HWR, founded as Cancer Family Service in Lake County in 1978, merged with HMC Hospice of Medina County in 2015 and Stein Hospice in 2022, it says.

Other hospice developments include:

In Virginia: The Dozoretz Hospice House of Hampton Roads set to open in April in Virginia Beach, according to press reports. It will be the first of its kind in the area, it says.

In Michigan: McLaren Health system is closing its Hiland Cottage hospice facility in Petoskey, according to press reports. It closed its eight-bed Cheboygan Hospice House last October (see HHHW by AAPC, Vol. XXXII, No. 37). The Hiland Cottage closure comes after community protests. McLaren Hospice will offer home- and community-based hospice services only, the health system says.