Empath Health Introduces One Hospice Model

CLEARWATER, Florida—Empath Health, an integrated care network, unveiled its One Hospice Model. Empath Health said the framework will preserve community-based hospice while adding the scale, innovation and accountability of a statewide system. 

“Families deserve hospice that puts mission before margin,” said Jonathan D. Fleece, president and CEO of Empath Health. “By uniting Florida’s most trusted not-for-profit hospices under one model, we keep local relationships intact and ensure every person facing serious illness receives Full Life Care—supported by the strength and expertise of an entire network.”

The model integrates seven locally known hospice brands—Empath Hospice, Hospice of Marion County, Suncoast Hospice, Suncoast Hospice of Hillsborough, Tidewell Hospice and Trustbridge (Hospice by the Sea and Hospice of Palm Beach County)—which collectively care for one in five hospice patients in Florida. Five of these affiliates have served their communities for more than 40 years.

Regional hubs in Tampa Bay, Sarasota, Palm Beach and Ocala keep decision-making local while enterprise teams provide centralized quality, technology and research support. Regional presidents Travis Fogle (Tampa Bay), Brad Perkins (Sarasota) and Tony Maxwell (Ocala/Palm Beach) oversee clinical operations and community partnerships.

While all Empath Health services are available through direct community access, families who begin care with an Empath-affiliated hospice gain direct referral into the wider Empath network of services—available regionally, when needed. This integrated approach allows patients to easily access Empath Home Health for skilled nursing at home; Empath Palliative Care for earlier symptom relief; Empath LIFE / PACE for comprehensive elder day-center support; Empath GUIDE for dementia education and caregiver coaching; EPIC HIV/AIDS Services for prevention, case management and housing; and Empath Grief Care, including Empath Blue Butterfly programs for children. The result is a coordinated full life care journey—from the first serious illness conversations through loss and healing—adapted to each community’s resources and needs.

As policymakers and the public scrutinize hospice ownership, Empath said it offers a scalable not-for-profit alternative. The organization reinvests much of its revenue into care, workforce development and community programs and publicly reports quality metrics that exceed national benchmarks. By pairing local leadership with statewide strength, Empath said the One Hospice Model offers a blueprint for mission-driven innovation at scale.