St. Croix Hospice Improves Access to End-Of-Life Care With New Branch in Wildwood, MO

[WILDWOOD, MO] – Nov. 22, 2023 – St. Croix Hospice builds upon their existing end-of-life services in eastern Missouri with the opening of a new branch in Wildwood. This expansion marks the eighth St. Croix Hospice branch in Missouri and enables the company to offer more accessible services to patients in Wildwood and the surrounding communities.

“Rural communities often encounter numerous obstacles in accessing high-quality end-of-life care as they struggle with scarce resources, geographical barriers and a shortage of experienced professionals,” says St. Croix Hospice Founder and CEO Heath Bartness. “Our new Wildwood branch will bolster our support for the surrounding rural communities in eastern Missouri by providing them with the increased accessibility and convenience of our expert care team.”

According to data from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, only about 50% of Medicare beneficiaries utilize the hospice benefit when they are eligible, and this statistic is even lower outside of most urban areas. As a Medicare benefit, hospice can reduce health care costs while significantly improving patient and family quality of life through pain and symptom management.

“Over 18% of the population in Wildwood, Missouri is aged 65 and older, with more individuals expecting to receive personalized end-of-life care each year,” said Rachel Choate, Regional Director of Clinical Operations at St. Croix Hospice. “Adding an additional branch to the eastern region of Missouri will better meet this need and allow more patients to receive a continuity of care while bringing our dedicated care team closer to their patients and families.”

St. Croix Hospice serves more than 4,400 patients within the Midwest every day. Taking an integrated approach to hospice care, the expert team at St. Croix Hospice provides physical, emotional and spiritual support that meets the unique needs of each patient. St. Croix Hospice teams are stationed in more than 60 branches throughout 10 states, ensuring responsive, proximate service to wherever patients call home.

About St. Croix Hospice 

St. Croix Hospice supports patients, their families and caregivers when they need us the most, delivering exceptional hospice care 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and wherever a patient calls home. With branches in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin, St. Croix Hospice takes pride in round-the-clock availability, prompt response and same-day admissions – including during evenings, weekends and holidays. Contact St. Croix Hospice 24/7 at 855-278-2764 or stcroixhospice.com.