A New Organization to Represent Hospice, Home Care, Palliative Care, and Other Providers

The Boards of the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) agreed to a joint process to explore the formation of a new organization to combine the strengths of both NAHC and NHPCO and better serve members with a unified voice on behalf of the entire community of hospice, home care, palliative care, serious illness, and other care-at-home providers.

The boards of NHPCO and NAHC recently signed a nonbinding letter of intent to pursue the possible combination of both organizations into a new, as-of-yet unnamed organization. Each board voted on this course of action following the recommendations of a steering committee composed of member and staff leaders from both organizations. The steering committee’s recommendations were informed by consultations with members of both organizations. The committee has been working, with the support of association consulting firm McKinley Advisors, since the March 8, 2023, joint announcement that NHPCO and NAHC would explore opportunities for deeper collaboration.

“The American health care system is shifting, and home and community-based care options are increasing in a multitude of forms across the country,” says Melinda Gruber, PhD, MBA, CNA, NHPCO board chair, president of Caring Circle, and medical group and continued care vice president, south region, at Corewell Health. “With decades of experience in hospice and home care, NHPCO and NAHC members are the long-standing experts, and they are evolving to meet patient needs in a shifting environment. As we look ahead, we see an opportunity for the organizations representing those providers to evolve. In this time of change, we are acting with intention and care to continue meeting the needs of providers, patients, families, and communities well into the future.”

“The collaborative process of the NHPCO and NAHC Boards over the last five months has brought the two organizations closer together,” says Kenneth Albert, RN, Esq, NAHC board chair, and president and CEO of Androscoggin Home Healthcare + Hospice. “In addition to the board-level discussions, our organizations have been collaborating on multiple advocacy efforts, as well as projects such as the Value of Hospice research. Through these efforts, it has become crystal clear that we can do more on behalf of our members by working together. If the current discussions do not lead to a new, combined organization, the outcome will nevertheless be closer working relationships on behalf of community-based and home care providers.”

In the coming months, the NAHC and NHPCO boards of directors will work together, in consultation with member volunteers from both organizations, to determine details of how a consolidated organization could represent the best interests of the combined memberships. The organizations expect this process to take six to 10 months. McKinley will continue to support the process as an independent, third-party advisor. To facilitate an effective process, both boards have decided to suspend elections for new directors this year.

— Source: National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization