Setting a Pattern of Continuing Excellence
The vision of Selma Markowitz, Kathleen Brown and the steering committee surpasses their loftiest dreams of hospice care for central Ohio.
The 2010s were a time when we were able to achieve key milestones to continue to provide care to patients and families through inpatient care centers, volunteering, philanthropy, and joining in a partnership with Ohio’s Hospice providing world-class care and statewide resources.
Today, more than 220 clinical and support staff and 140 volunteers serve patients and families in nine counties throughout central Ohio.
In 2010, we achieved a key milestone — serving our 10,000th patient. Our care teams celebrate the lives of those we have the privilege of serving by providing superior care and superior services to each patient and family. We are committed to making a difference in the lives of our patients and families every day.
In 2015, we entered a strategic partnership with Ohio’s Hospice as an affiliate, joining Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton, Ohio’s Hospice of Miami County, and Ohio’s Hospice of Butler & Warren Counties. Affiliating with Ohio’s Hospice has allowed us to have access to world-class resources and expertise in providing care for our community. We maintain our board of directors, made up of community members and local leadership. The board focuses on being good stewards of our community dollars by focusing on local needs, services and ensuring donor dollars remain in the area we serve.
We had a local presence in Lancaster since October, 2011 (rented offices) and then purchased the building (July 2017) we are currently in to accommodate growth. We rented an office in Westerville in January 2012 as we expanded into Franklin County. We moved into a larger office on Bethel Road in April 2019 to accommodate a growing census. These sites serve as a home base for our staff working in these areas and allow for a stronger community presence with faster response times. These offices also provide us with more space for team meetings. Through the Pathways of HopeSM program, this space also allows us to offer community bereavement support groups and other grief support services for our community at no charge. Through these additional locations, we continue to provide quality care for our patients and support for their families wherever they call home.
To best meet the end-of-life needs of patients at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, we opened a 12-bed inpatient care center. Through this initiative, patients facing a life-limiting illness, receive the care, support, dignity, and comfort they need to have a meaningful end-of-life experience. Offering the comforts of home, the unit’s 12 patient rooms provide a peaceful environment for patients and families in a natural looking setting, along with flexible space dedicated to holding family gatherings. This new partnership with The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center allows us to enhance and expand our services to the central Ohio community and statewide.
In 2020, Renee Sparks was named general manager and executive vice president of Ohio’s Hospice of Central Ohio, a promotion from her previous role as the vice president of Clinical Services. During this time, she has led the organization to achieve deemed status with The Joint Commission, an organization dedicated to helping to ensure healthcare organizations are providing safe and effective care. Under Renee’s leadership, our palliative program also became Joint Commission certified.
The Denison Venture Philanthropy, a unique Denison University student program focused on gerosity and charity, awarded us $10,000 and 200 student volunteer hours. The funding went toward buying materials and equipment to support our Handmade Items program. Through this program, volunteers make handmade gowns, neck pillows, catheter bag covers, lap quilts, shirt savers, hand grips, and activity (busy) blankets for patients. Volunteers also are ambassadors in their respective communities, educating and informing others about our programs and services. They visit patients, offering caregivers a much-needed break and provide administrative project support in our offices. Our Veteran volunteers participate in Veteran recognition ceremonies as part of American Pride® Veteran Care by Ohio’s Hospice.
