Eden Health recently announced plans to acquire Washington state-based Community Home Health & Hospice’s (CHHH) outpatient programs. Financial terms of the transaction were undisclosed.
Eden Health will take over Community’s outpatient in-home health and hospice services effective May 1, 2023.
The deal expands Eden Health’s home health and hospice footprint in Washington, one of eight states in its service region. The home health, hospice and palliative care provider operates 36 locations and serves roughly 1,540 patients annual.
Staff retention will be among the initial focuses following the acquisition, according to Jamie Brown, vice president of home services, Eden Health.
“Eden Health will continue to provide the same great care that CHHH has been known for,” Brown told Hospice News in an email. “Our goal is to retain all direct-care clinicians during this transition so that patients are affected as little as possible. Eden Health continues to hire qualified, skilled clinicians in hopes to continue to expand our current reach within our communities.”
Eden Health is a subsidiary of Washington-based EmpRes Healthcare, which provides management and consulting services to rehabilitation and post-acute care centers, assisted and independent living communities and home health, home care, palliative care and hospice agencies in nine Western states.
The move to acquire CHHH’s outpatient services advances Eden Health’s strategic growth plans. In 2021 the company added hospice and palliative care services in its eastern Idaho market when it gained Medicare certification and accreditation from the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC).
Established in 1977, CHHH has an average daily census of 600 patients. The community-based nonprofit provider offers home health, hospice care and bereavement services across three counties in Washington and one in Oregon.
The organization has experienced financial strain resulting from pandemic-related headwinds, according to Jodie Zelazny, CHHH’s director of community development.
“The pandemic and resulting economic climate presented new financial challenges,” Zelazny told local news.
Community Home Health & Hospice did not respond to Hospice News requests for comment. However, the home health and hospice provider expressed “great confidence” in selecting Eden Health to take over its inpatient services, Community Board President Corey Balkan said in a statement.
The home health and hospice provider began reaching out to regional partners roughly a year ago to divest its outpatient service while maintaining continuity of patient care and staff employment, according to Zelazny.
“This partnership is valued greatly as Eden Health has offered to continue care for our current patients as well as hire our current employees,” Balkan said in the statement. “The agreement marks the latest step in the planning process to ensure our communities receive the care they deserve, our team has meaningful employment in a position they are passionate about, and we honor the legacy of this amazing agency that has served this region for the last 45 years.”
Companies featured in this article:
Community Home Health & Hospice, Eden Health, EmPres Healthcare
