Agrace Hospice & Palliative Care: UnityPoint at Home, UW Health to affiliate with Agrace HospiceCare

Contact:
Liz Kopling
Director of Marketing & Communications
liz.kopling@agrace.org
(608) 772-9653

Leah Huibregtse
Sr. Marketing Strategist
Leah.huibregtse@unitypoint.org
608-516-2256 (mobile)
608-417-5685 (office)

Lisa Brunette
Director of Media Relations
UW Health Marketing and Public Affairs
LBrunette@uwhealth.org
(608) 263-5830

MADISON, Wis. – Agrace Hospice & Palliative Care (Agrace), UnityPoint at Home, which operates locally with UnityPoint Health – Meriter, and UW Health today announced a new affiliation agreement, with the goal of partnering to serve the end-of-life needs of people in southern Wisconsin. The affiliation partnership for the delivery of hospice and palliative care services is effective as of April 11, 2016.

With this agreement, the organizations will collaborate to benefit patients and families through enhanced access to high-quality, coordinated and compassionate care throughout their entire health care experience. The move demonstrates the type of collaboration that will be necessary to transform care locally in light of changes in health care nationally.

Under the agreement, Agrace will remain a wholly independent nonprofit organization with a strong community-based board. However, the organizations agree to work more formally to build stronger systems of care for those with serious or life-limiting illness.

Lynne Myers, president and CEO of Agrace, said that leveraging the collective strength of this partnership will advance the development of innovative models to more effectively and efficiently coordinate care for patients throughout each stage of their health care journey.

“We are proud to establish a more formal partnership with UnityPoint at Home and UW Health, while maintaining our ability to serve patients from all area health systems,” said Myers. “With our compassionate clinicians and unparalleled expertise in end–of-life care, together we are well positioned to manage the emerging needs of the communities we serve.”

“We recognize the importance and strength of local partnerships,” said Andrew Molosky, chief operating officer of UnityPoint at Home, which recently integrated Meriter Home Health in Madison. “We’re pleased to be working with Agrace and UW Health to ensure high quality care across our patients’ entire experience.”

“Hospice and palliative care are vital parts of the continuum of care in our area,” said Dr. Jeff Grossman, interim CEO of UW Health. “We feel honored to join with UnityPoint at Home in this affiliation. Agrace will remain independent, but patients will benefit from a closer relationship among the organizations.”

Founded in 1978, Agrace is a nonprofit, community-supported hospice and palliative care agency dedicated to providing exceptional care and support to patients and families facing the challenges of serious illness. With offices in Madison, Janesville and Baraboo, Agrace serves nearly 700 patients every day throughout southern Wisconsin. For more information, visit Agrace.org.

UnityPoint at Home provides home health care services in communities across Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin, including the recent addition of Madison-based Meriter Home Health. Part of UnityPoint Health, one of the nation’s largest non-denominational health systems, UnityPoint at Home works together with its affiliated physicians and hospitals, including UnityPoint Health – Meriter, to coordinate the services, support and education necessary to continue care at home. Services include adult and pediatric nursing, rehabilitation therapy, personal care and home support, infusion therapy, palliative care, hospice and home medical equipment. For more information, visit unitypointathome.org.

UW Health is the integrated health system of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, with 1400 physicians and 16,500 staff at six hospitals and 80 outpatient sites. It is governed by the UW Hospitals and Clinics Authority and partners with UW School of Medicine and Public Health to fulfill patient care, research, education and community-service missions.