Expanding, Enhancing Hospice And Palliative Care For Parma And Southwest Suburbs

With patient-centered care, innovation and enhancement as central principles, University Hospitals is re-envisioning and expanding end-of-life care for patients and families across Northeast Ohio.

In January, UH entered into a joint venture with Hospice of the Western Reserve to increase early access to quality hospice and palliative care for more families across Northeast Ohio. Hospice and palliative care services have increased by 300 percent across the health system under this new partnership.

UH is now transitioning Seasons of Life, the Parma-based hospice, into this contemporary, forward-looking model. Hospice of the Western Reserve at University Hospitals will begin providing outpatient hospice and palliative care, and UH will establish a new inpatient hospice unit within UH Parma Medical Center that replaces the current Seasons of Life hospice facility at 9511 W Pleasant Valley Rd. The space at UH Parma will be renovated to create a comfortable and supportive environment where the name, promise and spirit of Seasons of Life will continue.

While the residential hospice facility that opened in 2001 will no longer be operated as a hospice, UH is exploring new ways to use the building to enhance local health care services. Plans are in development to create a garden on the UH Parma campus.

“UH Parma Medical Center serves a vital role as the leading provider of quality health care to meet the needs of our patients in Parma and surrounding communities,” said Eric Beck, DO, MPH, President, UH Ventures. “We expect this transition in hospice operations to be seamless for our patients and families. We are continually working to align our medical resources and capabilities with the changing needs of the communities we serve.”

UH Parma Medical Center has made numerous investments in the hospital and its services in recent years, most prominently the $27.5 million construction and renovation of surgical infrastructure that began earlier this year.

UH Parma also has received Five Stars for quality, safety and patient experience from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for two consecutive years and an “A” safety grade this spring from the Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit group committed to quality health care.