CA Boardroom Elite 2017

, For more than three decades, Hospice of Marion County (HMC) has served tens of thousands of families as they face life’s most difficult transition, providing comfort care on the physical, emotional and spiritual levels. We profile the firmand allowCEOMary Ellen Poe to talk us through the range of vital care services it offers. Best Palliative Care Center - Ocala Since it evolved from an all-volunteer agency in the 1980s into a highly skilled multidisciplinary team of professionals, HMC has striven to meet the needs of the dying with holistic support not only for patients but also for families, friends and neighbors. HMC’s excellence has been recognized with Deemed Status by the Joint Commission, the national gold standard in healthcare quality and safety. “Recognition by the Boardroom Elite is validation that our not-for- profit business model has earned the merit it deserves,” said Mary Ellen Poe, CEO. “Adhering to our mission of providing exceptional, compassionate end-of-life care to our community, HMC knows that serious illness and death affect a wide circle of people and can have lingering effects. We have developed numerous programs over the years for those requiring support early in the end-of-life process through the nationally recognized Transitions program. Through our new free-standing grief complex, The Monarch Center for Hope & Healing, we also support anyone in the community undergoing loss, regardless of their hospice association (accidents, suicide, sudden death, death out of state, etc.). Both programs offer services at NO cost. It is our conviction that care goes beyond providing immediate care to the patient, but well before, during and after for those who remain behind.” Hospice of Marion County’s long- term success is due to forward- thinking executives and the elite of medical professionals, both of whom operate from HMC’s core principle of compassion and caring. This combination has ensured a stellar reputation in the public and among community physicians. Hospice of Marion County’s strategic planning has long been to provide hospice care and more. Over the years, it has created companies under its umbrella to address the continuum of needs facing the senior population. Companies include Accent Medical, which provides durable medical equipment home- delivered to our patients and the public, as well as a retail store. The firm also owns the Center for Comprehensive Palliative Care, a national-award winning palliative care consulting program and one of the first in the country that works directly with physicians to manage pain and symptoms of hospital patients at any age suffering from any condition. HMC offers free specialty programs, including Transitions, which was established in 2001, and started with 10 patients. Today Transitions has two managers, who handle 250 clients with life-threatening illnesses, providing case management and resources, while volunteers provide respite for caregivers, transportation, companionship, errands and light housework. K Company: Hospice of Marion County Address: 3231 SW 34th Ave., Ocala, FL 34474 Phone: 352-873-7400 Website: www.hospiceofmarion.com N With the extraordinary rise of for-profit hospices throughout the nation over the past decade, maintaining a successful NFP model can be challenging when faced with profit-seeking enterprises. Florida’s growing senior population makes the state an enticing opportunity for national hospice chains. Currently the CON process (Certificate of Need) remains in place, but competition has opened the door for more hospices, providing more options, which is a positive aspect for the consumer if they know what to look for in a hospice. “AT HMC we believe that our comprehensive model, as opposed to basic hospice only, answers the many needs of families during the most vulnerable times of their lives,” adds Poe. “The integrity of our business structure and the corporate culture of compassion, care and professionalism sets us apart.” HMC consistently maintains 80.5% of its budget on program expenses with 18% toward management and 1.5% on fundraising (Form 990/2015- 2016). Ultimately, HMC is a long- respected member of the community with a Board of Directors consisting of a range of esteemed local business leaders. Partnering with United Way, WellFlorida, Access to Healthcare, the American Heart Association, the Cancer Alliance, the Alzheimer’s Association, the Kidney Foundation, plus numerous churches and caregiver and disease-specific support groups, HMC also supports local vendors and services using a competitive bidding system. As a not- for-profit, the organization’s commitment to serving the community, regardless of ability to pay, means its charitable contributions have totalled more than $2,900,000 over the last five years. The hospice’s mandate is to provide service to anyone who is eligible, regardless of financial or physical situation, caring for those who are indigent, undocumented or homeless, as well as those who are fully insured. There is no difference in the approach or quality of care, and moving forward, maintaining and bettering this will remain the firm’s ongoing focus.