It was a year in the making. Finally, on Dec. 24, the final papers were signed, and the merger between Hospice of Central New York and Hospice of the Finger Lakes became official.
Representatives from Hospice of the Finger Lake approached Hospice of CNY’s leadership looking to open discussions about a merger, over a year ago. In some ways collaboration between the two had already begun.
Hospice of CNY’s clinical expertise had been called upon for assistance with hospital discharges.
Outreach collaborations had already been established with the publication of the Pathways newsletter, a publication that is distributed 6 times a year to families of patients who are looking for help in coping with grief. Hospice of the Finger Lakes was also invited to make referrals for children to attend Hospice of CNY’s Camp Healing Hearts. This program is a special day camp for elementary school aged children who need help coping with the loss of a loved one.
The physical transition actually got underway last fall as orientation, training, medical record system conversion and technology updates were implemented.
The agencies have been working together for months to streamline systems, policies and procedures to ensure federal and state compliance. Hospice of CNY leadership is also making efforts to continue the neighborly feel that Hospice of the Finger Lakes brought to its hundreds of patients and families throughout the years.
Hospice of CNY is pleased that the Hospice of the Finger Lakes employees stayed on to take part in this new and exciting chapter of service to the community.
Patient care and services have been the top priority. Over the past 6 months, efforts have been made to reach out to area hospitals, nursing facilities and medical practices to build new collaborative connections to maximize patient quality of care.
The benefits of utilizing the resources of a larger organization are already evident. Based on data since the merger, we can anticipate a 40% increase in patients served in Cayuga County. Staff from both locations are excited about the merger and the benefits it’s bringing to both communities.
