Home Health & Hospice Week

Midwest hospice chain contemplates selling.

Alleo Health System, formerly known as the Hospice of Chattanooga and its network, has acquired two new hospice providers and now serves four states.

This month, nonprofit Alleo has bought Upper Cumberland Hospice and Palliative Care Services in Cookeville, Tennessee, and ABC Hospice in Rainsville, Alabama, for undisclosed terms. The deals expand the chain’s service areas to new counties in Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, and, for the first time, to Alabama, the company says in press releases.

Chattanooga-based Alleo was already the parent of Hospice of Chattanooga, Palliative Care Services, Good Shepherd Hospice, Comprehensive Care, and Kangaroo Kidz.

Other recent deals include:

In New Jersey: Moorestown-based BAYADA Home Health Care and King of Prussia, Pennsylvania-based Universal Health Services Inc. have agreed to form a new joint venture to establish and operate home care services, the companies say in a release. The JV will furnish home care to patients, “including … to help them recover from an illness, injury or recent hospital­ization,” they say.

“We do not underestimate the opportunity to create loyalty and trust among our community through seamless continuation of care through in-home services, which will become an even more critical component of the integrated delivery system,” says UHS’ Marvin Pember. “We are able to provide care partners with best-in-class service to improve patient outcomes and quality of life,” says BAYADA CEO David Baiada.

BAYADA, which went nonprofit last year and says it’s the “largest national, nonprofit home health care partner of hospitals and health systems,” can “help respond to the overwhelming preference to live at home, where patients recover and thrive best,” Baiada says. BAYADA operates in 23 states and multiple other countries.

In Minnesota: Oakdale-based St. Croix Hospice is considering a sale, according to The Wall Street Journal. St. Croix, purchased from Clearview Capital by Chicago-based private equity firm The Vistria Group in 2017, has bought and opened multiple locations this year. St. Croix has 35 branches in Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, and Wisconsin, the company says on its website.