Saint Francis Hospital and Delaware Hospice expand partnership with inpatient hospice unit

Hospice unit will be first piece of new Healthy Village concept at Saint Francis

Wilmington, Del. – (August 30, 2022) – Saint Francis Hospital, a member of Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic, and Delaware Hospice are proud to announce the expansion of its partnership to include an 8-bed inpatient hospice unit at Saint Francis. The expanded partnership and new hospice unit serve as the first piece of the recently announced Healthy Village® at Saint Francis Hospital, a unique model of care that addresses the social influencers of health to form a single system of care.

Opening in late 2022, the dedicated, inpatient hospice unit will allow Delaware Hospice to provide end-of-life care to Saint Francis and Delaware Hospice patients, as well as those who are eligible for this service in the community. Delaware Hospice will lease space on the 6th floor of the hospital’s DuPont Building. Renovations are currently ongoing.

By working with community-based partners whose services address the drivers of health, Healthy Villages focus on improving quality of life and enriching the vitality of neighborhoods while protecting their heritages, histories and residents. The model has been in existence for more than 25 years; however, few have adopted it to the extent Saint Francis has while extending it into the community—making The Healthy Village® at Saint Francis Hospital one of the first in the nation.

“Saint Francis is committed to this partnership with Delaware Hospice to ensure that patients with a life-limiting diagnosis receive compassionate comfort care provided with respect,” said Jim Woodward, President and CEO, Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic. “We believe the addition of this unit on our campus—a key piece of our new Healthy Village model—will allow us to better serve our hospice and palliative care patients, while providing respite to their families and caregivers.”

Saint Francis Hospital and Delaware Hospice are both committed to meeting the needs of the community. Currently, Delaware Hospice provides palliative consultative services to Saint Francis’ eligible patients. The addition of the hospice unit will help meet the growing need for hospice and palliative care services in Delaware as its population ages.

“As end-of-life care needs evolve at an unprecedented pace, Delaware Hospice is pleased to partner with Saint Francis Hospital,” said vice president of Clinical Services of Delaware Hospice, Debra Kent, RN, BSN, MA, CCRN, NEA-BC. “Both of our Missions are very much aligned and we look forward to our partnership, and ensuring our patients and families receive the care they need.”

Healthy Village partners are selected according to investments in health and the social influencers of health. These community-based organizations are committed to bringing much-needed services to Wilmington residents – right onto the hospital’s floors. By implementing a Healthy Village, excess hospital space will be renovated in areas that are ideal for the partners’ services. At the same time, Saint Francis is strengthening the critical clinical services offered within the hospital as well as in the community.