A hospice center in Petoskey will shut down, despite earlier statements by officials that there were no plans to do so.
McLaren Health Management Group said Friday that it “will no longer continue operations” at the seven-bed Hiland Cottage, effective March 1.
McLaren Hospice says it’s transitioning its care to community-based services. A statement from McLaren says patients and staff at Hiland Cottage will be moved to other facilities “in coordination with patient family, caregivers, and providers.”
What changed?
In the fall, advocates for Hiland Cottage rallied following McLaren’s closure of another inpatient hospice in Cheboygan. The group “Friends of Hiland Cottage” gathered 1,500 signatures on a letter of support.
In October, members of the group told IPR News that they had met with McLaren Northern Michigan executives and were told there are no plans to close down the facility.
Friday, IPR News asked McLaren spokesperson Dave Jones what changed between October and now. He declined to comment beyond a news release issued Friday afternoon.
But that news release does contain a statement from “Friends of Hiland Cottage,” the community advocacy group, saying that they are disappointed with the closure, but “we recognize its continued operation is currently unsustainable.”
It thanks McLaren for “their excellent hospice care, transparency, and collaboration on finding sustainable hospice solutions.”
The “Friends” statement also notes that the group is looking forward to continued partnership with McLaren to “evaluate options for maintaining residential hospice.”
Representatives of the group could not immediately be reached late Friday.
Going forward
The news about Hiland Cottage, in Petoskey, is an echo of what happened in Cheboygan, when McLaren said it would close its inpatient hospice facility there, and transition to community-based care.
Cynthia Tomlinson, McLaren’s vice president of hospice and palliative care, called community-based services “the most patient-centric and sustainable method” to care for hospice patients.
It involves staff visiting patients in their home, rather than admitting them to a residential care facility.
Hiland Cottage is owned by McLaren Northern Michigan, but was built in the early 2000s with grassroots funding. The decision in Petoskey, McLaren’s statement says, was made with “thoughtful input, partnership, and dedication of the Northern Michigan community.”
McLaren says it’s committed to maintaining hospice services in northern Michigan.
The organization works with hospice patients in 11 counties, including Emmet, Charlevoix, Cheboygan and Otsego, as well as in remote areas like Beaver Island.
Background for this story comes from prior reporting by IPR's Michael Livingston.
