Agrace Hospicecare Incorporated

Programs: Clinical patient care - agrace hospicecare offers the most comprehensive end-of-life care available. Patients and families served by agrace hospicecare are provided the expert help of a compassionate team of end-of-life professionals including: nurses, certified nursing assistants, social workers, spiritual & grief counselors, volunteers, physicians and pharmacists. The hospice care team assesses the unique needs of each patient and family. Working together, agrace hospicecare staff, trained volunteers, and the patient's physician deliver comprehensive care focused on helping the patient and their family live life to the fullest. In 2017, the organization provided approximately $3,915,000 of community benefit.

agrace hospicecare provides care to patients who meet certain criteria under the organization's charity care policy without charge or at amounts less than established rates. Such patients are identified based on financial information obtained from the patient at the time they enroll in the program or subsequent changes to their financial circumstances. Because the organization does not pursue collection of amounts determined to qualify as charity care, they are not reported as revenue. In 2017, agrace hospicecare granted $2,000,000 to agrace foundation towards the $15 million endowment campaign that was started to provide ongoing financial support towards that mission. In 2017, agrace hospicecare transferred funds totaling $2,000,000 to the risk reserve account held by agrace hospicecare foundation.

agrace hospicecare's other programs include the volunteer services program, the food service program and grants to support related organizations. In 2017, 923 specially trained volunteers provided 37,785 hours of service. Because of this support, agrace hospicecare is able to defer some staffing costs and continue to provide compassionate, expert care to patients and families. Some of the volunteer positions include in-home and residential patient and family volunteer; grief services, administrative office work, flower room and kitchen volunteer; vigil program; and agrace hospicecare campus greeter. Food service: agrace hospicecare employs talented chefs to provide our patients and families comforting meals cooked with locally grown, often organic fresh produce, meats and herbs. Staff dieticians work with the kitchen staff to prepare meals that provide sustenance and comfort to patients. Sometimes a patient will not be able to digest solid foods, but small meals can be prepared for them to enjoy the comforts of the smells that meals provide. In addition to patient and family meals, agrace hospicecare food services makes fresh baked goods, coffee and tea available for purchase by staff, volunteers, guests, educational event attendees and grief support groups. Through our scholars program, agrace works together with madison college, ryan brothers ambulance, catholic charities, urban league of greater madison and the boys and girls club to provide scholarships to students of color who are interested in beginning careers in health care as either certified nursing assistants (cnas) or emergency medical technicians (emts). Through both our high school and returning adult programs, agrace provides post-graduation employment, mentoring support and networking opportunities for minority students who may otherwise struggle with post-graduation education and employment.