Coast-to-Coast Hospice Growth as Facilities Proliferate
•February 11, 2026
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Why It Matters
The surge in hospice facility development signals heightened demand for end‑of‑life care and creates new opportunities for investors, payers, and communities seeking comprehensive support for terminal patients.
Key Takeaways
- •Augusta hospice opens May 1 with six rooms
- •Julia House plans nine-room facility, opening 2027
- •Tri‑Cities Chaplaincy completes $3.5M renovation, ten private rooms
- •Gulfside expands to three Pinellas County cities
- •Inpatient hospice demand rising nationwide
Pulse Analysis
The hospice sector is experiencing a wave of growth driven by an aging population and increasing acceptance of palliative care as a standard component of health services. Demographic shifts, coupled with Medicare’s expanding reimbursement for inpatient hospice, have lowered financial barriers for providers to invest in dedicated facilities. As families seek environments that blend medical expertise with home‑like comfort, operators are capitalizing on this trend by launching new centers and upgrading existing ones to meet higher expectations for privacy and specialized care.
Recent projects illustrate how providers are tailoring investments to regional needs. Augusta Inpatient Hospice Home’s six‑room model emphasizes intimate, patient‑centered care, while Julia House’s nine‑room de novo in Erie County aims to fill a geographic void in Pennsylvania. Tri‑Cities Chaplaincy’s $3.5 million renovation introduced private meeting spaces and technology upgrades, directly responding to workflow inefficiencies and family counseling requirements. Gulfside’s expansion across three Pinellas County cities leverages community donations and state grants, showcasing a hybrid funding approach that balances nonprofit mission with scalable growth.
For stakeholders, this expansion translates into a more robust market pipeline and potential for strategic partnerships. Investors can target facilities with proven demand metrics, while payers may need to adjust network contracts to accommodate the increasing volume of inpatient hospice stays. Policymakers should monitor these developments to ensure regulatory frameworks keep pace with evolving care models, preserving quality standards while encouraging sustainable growth. Overall, the proliferation of hospice facilities underscores a broader shift toward comprehensive, dignified end‑of‑life options across the United States.
Coast-to-Coast Hospice Growth as Facilities Proliferate
Two new hospice facilities are opening along the East Coast. Meanwhile, a hospice provider in Florida has expanded its geographic reach.
Coming Soon: Augusta Inpatient Hospice Home
A new facility, Augusta Inpatient Hospice Home LLC has recently announced its opening, set for May 1.
Located in Augusta, Georgia, the inpatient hospice center will feature six patient rooms in a home-like environment. One of the rooms will be reserved for patients unable to cover their stay.
The nonprofit facility was founded by Stacia Sirull, owner and CEO of Augusta Inpatient Hospice Home. Sirull, a hospice nurse, indicated that the decision to open a new facility was in part driven by her professional and personal experiences at the end of life.
Demand is rising for general inpatient hospice care, Sirull indicated. More terminally ill individuals have needs that extend beyond the scope of what families can provide, she indicated.
“Our slogan is: Your life, your journey, your choice,” Sirull told local news. “The reason we wrote it that way is because I want people to be able to make their own choice at the end of life and have those choices be respected. My only worry is that it won’t be big enough, and once word gets around and people see what need it fills, there will need to be more places like this.”
Julia House Nears Development
Pennsylvania-based Julia Hospice & Palliative Care (JHPC) is inching closer to the development of a de novo after experiencing pandemic-related setbacks.
Dubbed Julia House, the facility will provide inpatient hospice and serve as an outpatient palliative care clinic. It will be the first hospice center in Erie County, Pennsylvania, the provider indicated.
The center will feature nine patient rooms. Construction on the new location is anticipated to begin this spring, according to Dr. Christopher Strzalka, medical director at Julia Hospice & Palliative Care. The de novo could open sometime in 2027, he indicated.
“We are in the process of seeking construction bids,” Strzalka told local news. “ As long as the bids are within budget, we hope to start as soon as the snow melts. It will likely take 12 months, so we are looking at a grand opening of March 2027 at the earliest.”
JHPC launched a capital campaign to fuel the center’s development following its establishment in April 2020. The nonprofit planned to begin construction in 2022 and open by the end of 2023. However, progress halted as construction and operating costs rose during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tri-Cities Chaplaincy Opens Renovated Hospice Facility
Washington-based Tri-Cities Chaplaincy has completed $3.5 million in renovations to its hospice facility.
The Tri-City Chaplaincy Hospice House is located in Kennewick, Washington, and features 10 private patient rooms in a home-like environment.
The renovations were designed to address “fundamental design flaws” and to enhance care for patients and their families, according to Laurie Jackson, CEO of Tri-Cities Chaplaincy. Upgrades to the hospice facility were needed to improve operational and clinical workflows and to provide more private spaces for sensitive family conversations, she said.
“After 29 years, there was some need to make some internal changes and external changes,” Jackson told local news. “We wanted to focus on giving our patients the best opportunity to thrive here.”
The renovations included expanded work spaces, a new double-door entrance, a larger kitchen area and a fireside reflection room, along with a private meeting room and technology upgrades.
Funding for the revamped facility came from community donations and more than $1 million in state grants. Tri-City Chaplaincy has seen rising demand for inpatient hospice. The organization served nearly half of its overall annual census of 954 patients at the facility in 2023.
Gulfside Healthcare Services Expands in Florida
Florida-based Gulfside Healthcare Services has grown its geographic footprint in its home state.
The hospice, palliative care and home health provider has expanded its service reach across three cities in Pinellas County, Florida.
Founded more than 35 years ago, Gulfside Healthcare Services operates two hospice care centers and four thrift store locations in the Sunshine State. The nonprofit’s decision to expand is aimed at improving access to community-based care, the organization recently indicated.
“This expansion is more than a geographic move — it’s a promise to bring Gulfside’s exceptional care to even more families in need,” the organization told local news. “Our dedicated team is committed to ensuring that every individual receives expert support, comfort and dignity throughout life’s most challenging moments.”
The post Coast-to-Coast Hospice Growth as Facilities Proliferate appeared first on Hospice News.
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