Community Foundation of Otsego County Nonprofit Spotlight
April 12, 2024
This month the CFOC Nonprofit Spotlight features an important collaboration between Helios Care and the Bassett Healthcare Network.
“In the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare, collaborations are emerging as cornerstones for innovation and improved patient outcomes – especially across rural areas. With a commitment to compassionate patient-centered care, Helios Care, a leading hospice and palliative non-profit organization, and Bassett Healthcare Network, which offers healthcare services across 5,600 square miles and eight counties in Central New York, have joined forces through shared expertise and resources.
At the heart of this collaboration is a vision to enhance the quality of life for individuals nearing the end of life, and their loved ones. By infusing hospice and palliative care services more prominently into the continuum of care services offered in our communities, patients will receive more comprehensive, interdisciplinary support tailored to their unique physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.
By cooperating with community primary care providers, specialists, and other practices, Helios Care can reach patients earlier in their illness trajectories, allowing for proactive and timely symptom management, psychosocial support, and advance care planning. This proactive approach not only improves the quality of life for patients, but also helps alleviate burdens on caregivers and reduces unnecessary hospitalizations.
Shared resources also foster a culture of transparency and education among healthcare professionals. Through interdisciplinary team meetings, training sessions, and knowledge sharing initiatives, clinicians across our communities will gain skills and competencies related to end-of-life care as an important milestone in the patient care continuum. Moreover, these initiatives extend beyond clinical care to encompass community outreach, education, and advocacy efforts, raising awareness about hospice and palliative care options, debunking myths surrounding end-of-life care, and promoting advance care planning initiatives within the community. Patients and families will be empowered to make informed decisions about their care preferences and ensure their wishes are respected and honored.
The Community Foundation of Otsego County awarded a grant to Helios Care, and those funds have helped facilitate this important community collaboration to advance end-of-life care in Delaware, Schoharie, and Otsego counties. With CFOC’s support, Helios Care has been able to establish this initiative and set a shining example for healthcare organizations state and nationwide. By working together, healthcare organizations can provide seamless care from birth to end-of-life with comfort, dignity, and support to individuals and families during life’s most challenging moments.”
President and CEO of Bassett Healthcare Network, Staci Thompson
President and CEO of Helios Care, Dan Ayres
