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St. Alexius Hospice to celebrate 15 years of service

The St. Alexius Hospice program will be celebrating its 15th year of service in the Bismarck-Mandan area on Valentine’s Day.

The Hospice care movement began in 1960’s and has evolved over the years into an integral part of the health care field. Hospice care provides services to terminally ill patients seeking comfort care and also offers support to family members. The first hospice founded in the United States was in Connecticut in 1974.

In 1983, Medicare began offering a hospice option to Medicare, Part A, to reimburse hospices for care provided.

In Bismarck, the first hospice was under the support of St. Alexius Hospital and started by the Sisters of the Annunciation Priory, but discontinued two years later. Missouri Valley Hospice was formed and in existence for three years before dissolving in the beginning of 1990.

The St. Alexius hospice program was first proposed in the middle of 1990 as part of the St. Alexius Medical Center Home Care program. Barb Schweitzer, who was the director of the Home Care program, began formal procedures to license the program. St. Alexius Hospice was licensed on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 1991.

Currently, the hospice program cares for an average of 19 patients daily. Patients who receive hospice care are usually provided services in the home setting, which also includes nursing homes.

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