Media Statement

Contact:

David Edwards, Director of Communications

dedwards@arkansashospice.org  501-748-3303

For more than 30 years, Arkansas Hospice has been providing compassionate care for patients with life-limiting illnesses and their families, now serving more than 500 patients each day in a 43-county service area.

With tremendous community support, Arkansas Hospice opened an 8-bed, freestanding inpatient hospice center in Russellville in 2011.  However, since its inception, reimbursement for inpatient care at the River Valley Home has struggled to keep up with increasing operational costs. This is a national trend, as nearly all remaining inpatient hospice centers operate at a loss. Even with the total revenue for billable patient services plus generous donations from the community, the River Valley Home has encountered millions of dollars of operational losses, with no end in sight.

As part of our mission, and to honor the vision of our founder, Michael Aureli, Arkansas Hospice has faithfully subsidized the financial operation of the River Valley Home since it first opened its doors. Unfortunately, we can no longer continue to subsidize these losses.

In addition, since COVID, there has been a notable shift in patient and family preferences to remain in their own homes for their final days, and operating losses have increased even further with the current high rate of inflation.  As a result, we have made the difficult decision to close the River Valley Home.  Its final day of operation will be April 15, 2023.

While we are saddened by this loss, the mission of Arkansas Hospice continues in the River Valley area as our wonderful Russellville Homebased Office provides care for more than 70 patients and their families every day in their own homes, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and area hospitals.

Plans for the building have not been finalized at this time, as we are currently focused on ensuring a smooth transition for our valued River Valley Home employees and communicating with our many supporters in the River Valley area.

Thank you for your support and as we make the necessary changes to continue our mission in an evolving healthcare environment. We want to thank every donor, volunteer, patient, and family member, as well as all current and former employees, for being a part of an incredible decade of care at the Arkansas Hospice River Valley Home.

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About Arkansas Hospice

Caring since 1992, Arkansas Hospice’s mission is to enhance the quality of life for those facing serious illness and loss by surrounding them with love and embracing them with the best in physical, emotional, and spiritual care. The hospice care provider is the recipient of numerous local, state, and national awards, as well as numerous other awards for quality of care, including Hospice Honors Elite from HEALTHCAREfirst, as well as the only hospice in Arkansas to be certified by the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs for nonprofit service to Arkansas’ veteran population. For more information, visit https://arkansashospice.org.