Integrated care network Empath Health has introduced the One Hospice Model, a framework designed to enhance hospice care by combining community-based services with the advantages of a statewide system.
The One Hospice Model unifies seven locally recognised hospice brands such as Empath Hospice, Hospice of Marion County, Suncoast Hospice, Suncoast Hospice of Hillsborough, Tidewell Hospice and Trustbridge (Hospice by the Sea and Hospice of Palm Beach County).
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Together, these brands serve one in five hospice patients in the state.
Notably, five of these affiliates have been delivering not-for-profit care to their communities for over four decades.
Empath Health president and CEO Jonathan D Fleece said: “Families deserve hospice that puts mission before margin.
“By uniting Florida’s most trusted not-for-profit hospices under one model, we keep local relationships intact and ensure every person facing serious illness receives Full Life Care—supported by the strength and expertise of an entire network.”
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By GlobalDataThe model is structured around regional hubs in Tampa Bay, Sarasota, Palm Beach, and Ocala, ensuring that decision-making remains local.
Meanwhile, centralised enterprise teams offer support in areas such as quality, technology, and research.
Tampa Bay president Travis Fogle, Sarasota president Brad Perkins, and Ocala/Palm Beach president Tony Maxwell, PA, are responsible for overseeing clinical operations and maintaining community partnerships within their respective regions.
Empath Health’s services are directly accessible to the community, but families starting care with an Empath-affiliated hospice can transition into the wider network of services offered regionally.
This includes Empath Home Health, Empath Palliative Care, Empath LIFE / PACE, Empath GUIDE, EPIC HIV/AIDS Services, and Empath Grief Care.
The One Hospice Model facilitates a care journey, tailored to the specific resources and needs of each community.
Empath’s One Hospice Model presents a scalable not-for-profit alternative in a climate where hospice ownership is under scrutiny.
The organisation reinvests a significant portion of its revenue into healthcare, development of workforce, and community programmes while reporting quality metrics publicly that surpass national standards.
