Haven Values Highlighted at National Hospice Month

adminNovember 2, 2022

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ET York Care Center at Haven Hospice in Gainesville

“The only constant in life is change.”

These are the words of the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus. But that may be the guiding philosophy for nearly all healthcare consumers in the United States today.

Whether your medical insurance is through Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, or commercial insurance; whether your primary care physician is a geriatrician, family practitioner, or pediatrician; Whether you manage it or not, you are keenly aware of how much insurance you have. The world of healthcare has changed in the last few years.

There are many illegible acronyms such as VBID, ACO, REACH, and MA. New rules seem to apply every time you visit a doctor or pharmacist. Changes in coverage and fees associated with annual insurance enrollment.

But in the midst of this constant vortex of change, it’s reassuring to all of us in north-central Florida to have a constant presence. It’s Haven Hospice.

Founded in 1979 by local doctors and nurses who worked at what was then Alachua General Hospital, Haven has remained true to its mission for 43 years.

During the worst of the pandemic, we found that local hospitals, nursing homes and nursing homes were overwhelmed with COVID-19 cases and had to close their doors to visitors.Haven Open Five hospice care centers in Chiefland, Gainesville, Lake City, Orange Park, and Palatka received much-needed terminally ill patients from other providers while allowing families to stay at their bedside. Release the bed (wear full protective equipment). ) with dying loved ones.

Not many hospice providers were able to do that. But Haven did. For patients and their loved ones. For our healthcare partners. For all the communities we can serve.

Another constant at Haven is its commitment to quality. We are proud of the excellent ratings we have received from our patients’ loved ones as reported to Medicare.You can see for yourself at medicare.gov/care-compare. We have clinical staff whose primary responsibility is to review scores and ensure they learn how to continuously improve the care and support we provide. That is our mission.

As a local nonprofit, Haven is run by a volunteer board of community leaders, health care professionals, and elder care advocates to meet the ever-changing and growing needs of the 18+ age group. We are committed to ensuring that we have the resources we need to meet. County Haven in North Central Florida is responsible. And given how vast and diverse our market space is, Haven has long benefited from the additional advice and leadership of our Community Advisory Board, which is centered around our regional offices.

Transparent governance, ongoing dialogue with the communities we serve, and local leadership — these are also Haven’s hallmarks.

But what really stays the same for Haven are the stories of the patients and families we serve at the end of life’s journeys. A final salute to the Vietnam War veterans. A dementia patient who brightens up with each pet therapy volunteer visit. A homeless patient was successfully reunited with her long-lost family thanks to the tireless efforts of a dedicated nurse and social her worker.

A pastor of Haven commissioned to hold a memorial service for a patient who regularly visited during the patient’s hospice trip. Grieving children understand that they are not alone in their grief and find strength in the support of peers and caring counselors.

In Haven, we hear stories like that all the time. Every day, in fact. Because through all change, that’s our job.

These stories get even more meaningful each November. Because this is when (and why) we celebrate National Hospice Month. National Hospice Month, passed by Congress just three years after Haven was founded, gives us the opportunity to thank the dedicated staff and volunteers, healthcare his partners, generous donors and unwavering support over the years. increase.

For Haven, National Hospice Month reminds us of our roots as North Central Florida’s premier hospice provider and highlights the continued importance of our mission. In these times of ever-changing healthcare all around us, we are humbled to be an ever-present haven for our friends and neighbors in the area.