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SUN CITY, Ariz. (Sept. 12, 2006) -- Sun Health has entered into agreements with independent providers for the operation of its hospice and home care services in order to ensure the continued delivery of these quality services for west Valley residents.

Sun Health Hospice has been providing service since 1990, and Sun Health Home Care became Arizona's first hospital-based home-health agency when it began in 1972.

Hospice services now will be provided through a service alliance with Hospice of Arizona (HOA), and a letter of intent has been signed for home care services to be delivered through a leading national home health nursing company, said Leland W. Peterson, Sun Health president/CEO.

Because both of these organizations have multiple service locations and focus exclusively in their respective specialties, they will be able to serve a broader geographic area and increase capacity to keep pace with growing demand while maintaining patient-focused services and the high level of quality established by Sun Health, Peterson said.

He added that Sun Health, in turn, will be able to refine further its acute healthcare focus as major expansion projects are under way at both Sun Health Boswell Hospital and Sun Health Del E. Webb Hospital as well as Sun Health Research Institute.

"The Sun Health board of directors and administrative staff believe our responsibility to the communities we serve includes researching and evaluating opportunities that align with Sun Health's mission to provide excellent quality medical care, research, education and wellness," Peterson said. "Sun Health's commitment to the communities we serve is to assure that quality healthcare services such as hospice and home care are readily available to area residents. We realize that this does not necessarily mean the services must be provided directly by the Sun Health network. What is most important is the ultimate benefit to those needing these services."

Inpatient hospice care will continue to be provided at the Sun Health Hospice facilities that were funded by generous contributions from community donors. The facility on the Plaza del Rio campus in Peoria that is dedicated in memory of Harriet D. Hastie and the newest center located on the Sun Health Del E. Webb Hospital Campus that is named in honor of Bob and Doris Shumway remain the property of Sun Health.

All donor recognition will remain in place, and continued donations in support of these hospice facilities are needed and appreciated, Peterson explained. Most of Sun Health Hospice's 100-member staff and the 50 employees of Sun Health Home Care have the opportunity to transition to the new providers which assures continuity of care for patients being served. Hospice volunteers, many of whom are members of the Sun Health Auxiliary, also are being welcomed and encouraged to continue their support of hospice patients and families.

"We are confident this service alliance will prove to be a wonderful win-win relationship for Sun Health and Hospice of Arizona, our employees, the community we serve, and our current and future hospice patients," said Jerene Maierle, Hospice of Arizona administrator.

"Because Sun Health Hospice currently serves approximately 160 patients daily, this transition makes Hospice of Arizona one of the nation's largest hospice programs now serving nearly 1,000 patients/families daily. It also brings with it the staff resources on which to accelerate our leadership position in the Maricopa County hospice market."

Hospice of Arizona, which now has seven inpatient hospice sites in the metropolitan Phoenix area, is operated by American Hospice of Jacksonville, Fla., one of the nation's oldest hospice providers.