What Hospice & Palliative Care Buffalo does

Hospice & Palliative Care Buffalo is a 501(c)(3)-style not-for-profit healthcare provider founded in 1978 by Dr. Robert Milch and Charlotte Shedd, operating exclusively in Erie County, New York from its Milch-Mitchell Campus at 225 Como Park Boulevard. The organization delivers hospice care for patients with a life-limiting prognosis of six months or less, palliative care for symptom management during serious illness at any stage, and the Essential Care for Children pediatric palliative program for medically complex children from infants to adolescents. Supporting services include 13 months of bereavement counseling through the Wilson Support Center, expressive therapies (music, art, massage), veteran recognition via the We Honor Veterans program, perinatal support, spiritual care, social work, and inpatient care at the William M. & Phyllis Bender Care In-Patient Unit in Cheektowaga. As Erie County's only certified hospice, the organization serves over 1,000 patients daily (4,722 total in 2024) with 850+ volunteers and has earned CMS Five-Star Rating and top-15% national quality ranking.

Underlying platform and delivery architecture: services are delivered through home-based care via the Home Connections program (scheduled health aide visits, 24/7 call center, equipment and medication delivery), a dedicated inpatient unit, and contracted care in nursing homes and assisted living facilities (Catholic Health McAuley Residence, Brookdale Kenmore, Orchard Heights). Core technology is an Electronic Medical Records system; no proprietary AI/ML, API, or SDK assets are disclosed. The core clinical evidence base is reinforced by Dr. Christopher Kerr's (CEO/CMO) research program on end-of-life experiences at the Palliative Care Institute, which has been featured in the New York Times and Fox Nation and supports a clinical differentiation narrative rather than a tech differentiation narrative.

Business model and revenue mechanics: the organization operates as three related New York non-profit entities — Hospice Buffalo, Inc., Hospice & Palliative Care Buffalo, Inc., and Hospice Foundation of Western New York, Inc. — with revenue streams split across (i) Medicare/Medicaid hospice reimbursement (primary, per-diem), (ii) private insurance and private pay for palliative care and other uncovered services, (iii) charitable donations and annual fundraising events (Spring Bouquet Sale, Chiavetta's Barbeque, Memorial Walk, Harvest Fest, Light-A-Life), and (iv) foundation grants (Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, Wilson Legacy Fund). Go-to-market combines physician/healthcare-provider referral intake, direct-to-consumer community outreach (serving 1,000+ patients daily), and facility partnerships, with no consumer-facing app or digital channel beyond email newsletter and website intake forms.

Name

Hospice & Palliative Care Buffalo

Legal name

Hospice Buffalo, Inc., Hospice & Palliative Care Buffalo, Inc., and Hospice Foundation of Western New York, Inc.

Website

https://hospicebuffalo.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Hospice & Palliative Care Buffalo is a not-for-profit, Erie County's only certified hospice provider, delivering home-based and inpatient hospice, palliative, pediatric palliative, grief support, and veteran services to over 1,000 patients daily through Medicare reimbursement and philanthropic funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospice and Palliative Care Services

NAICS

Home Health Care Services (62161), Home Health Care Services (6216), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Home Health Care Services (8082), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Skilled Nursing Care Facilities (8051), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Home Hospice Agencies (HLAFAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community-Based Palliative Care (Home-Based Non-Hospice) (HLADAHAH), Non-Hospice Serious-Illness / Community-Based Palliative Care (In-Home) (HSABAFAF), Pediatric Hospice & Palliative Care (HLADAHAI), Hospice Care in Nursing Facilities (SNF/NH Hospice) (HLADAHAD), Bereavement, Grief & Family Support Services (Hospice-Linked) (HLAFAEAO), Hospital-Based Palliative Care (Inpatient Consult Services) (HLADAHAG), Palliative Care, Hospice & Serious Illness Support (BPAGACAK)

Keywords

• Hospice care services
• Palliative care services
• Bereavement counseling
• Pediatric palliative care
• End-of-life care

Headquarters

HQ city

Buffalo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Reimbursement: Medicare is a core benefit covering hospice services for eligible patients. Medicaid also provides coverage. This represents the primary revenue stream for hospice care services.
2. Private Insurance: Most private health plans cover hospice care. Palliative care services are covered by certain commercial health plans or through private pay arrangements.
3. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable donations from individuals, families, and organizations. Major annual fundraising events include Spring Bouquet Sale, Chiavetta's Barbeque, Memorial Walk, Harvest Fest, and Light-A-Life ceremony. Total donor-funded programs include Angel Fund, Essential Care for Children, and various endowments.
4. Foundation Grants: Grants from foundations including Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation ($2 million), Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, Wilson Legacy Fund, and others support specific programs and capital improvements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Hospice & Palliative Care Buffalo provides comprehensive comfort-focused medical, emotional, social, and spiritual care for patients with life-limiting illnesses across Erie County, NY. Core offerings include hospice care for those with a six-month-or-less prognosis, palliative care for symptom management at any illness stage, home-based pediatric palliative care (Essential Care for Children), inpatient hospice care, and 13 months of bereavement support for families.

Product overview

Hospice & Palliative Care Buffalo is a not-for-profit healthcare organization providing a comprehensive suite of comfort-focused services centered on hospice and palliative care. The core portfolio includes Hospice Care for patients with life-limiting illness (six-month prognosis or less), Palliative Care for symptom management during serious illness at any stage, and Essential Care for Children for medically complex pediatric patients. Supporting these clinical services are grief support, expressive therapies (music, art, massage), social work, spiritual care, veteran support programs, perinatal services, and nursing home-based hospice care. Services are delivered through home-based care (Home Connections), a dedicated inpatient unit in Cheektowaga, and facility partnerships throughout Erie County. As Erie County's only certified hospice, the organization supports over 1,000 patients daily and has earned a Five-Star Rating from CMS.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Essential Care for Children: Comprehensive, home-based palliative care to medically complex children, helping to minimize hospital stays and emergency room visits.
• Wilson Support Center
• Home Connections
• Hospice Foundation of Western New York

Products and services

• Hospice Care Comprehensive comfort-focused medical care for individuals with life-limiting illness and a prognosis of six months or less, providing physical, emotional, social, and spiritual support tailored to patient and family needs. Provided wherever the patient calls home, in nursing homes, or at the inpatient unit.
• Palliative Care Symptom and pain management services working with patients' physicians to reduce stress and improve quality of life, appropriate at any age and any stage of serious illness, and can be provided alongside curative treatment. Covered by certain commercial health plans or through private pay.
• Essential Care for Children Comprehensive home-based palliative care for medically complex children from infants to adolescents, helping minimize hospital stays and ER visits while providing psychosocial, emotional, and spiritual support for families.
• Grief Support Services Bereavement counseling and support services including 13 months of bereavement support for families and caregivers of deceased patients, individual counseling, support groups, and Camp Blue Skies for grieving children.
• Home Connections Home-based hospice care program providing regular scheduled visits from health aides, round-the-clock call center support, and medical equipment and medications delivered to patients' homes throughout Erie County.
• Expressive Therapies Credentialed music, art, and massage therapies enhancing quality of life for patients and families, offering creative outlets for self-expression and symptom management.
• Veteran Support (We Honor Veterans) Specialized hospice services for U.S. military veterans through the We Honor Veterans program, providing veteran-to-veteran support and recognition of military service at end of life.
• Social Work Services Psychosocial support including counseling, advocacy, long-term planning, community resource coordination, and crisis intervention for patients and families.
• Spiritual Care Chaplain and spiritual counseling services addressing the spiritual aspects of coping with serious illness and end-of-life.
• Perinatal Program Specialized support services for families experiencing pregnancy loss or caring for newborns with life-limiting conditions.
• Hospice Care in Nursing Homes Hospice services provided in nursing home and assisted living facility settings for patients residing in those facilities throughout Erie County.
• Inpatient Unit (William M. & Phyllis Bender Care Center) 24-hour inpatient hospice care at the Cheektowaga location with open visiting hours for patients requiring more intensive support than home care allows.

Quantifiable outcome

• Families 10% more likely to recommend compared to national average
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Catholic Health (McAuley Residence)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew hospice partnership established to provide hospice services at Catholic Health's McAuley Residence facility.
• Brookdale KenmorecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners in Caring recognition awarded for exceptional care collaboration. Hospice services provided in partnership with Brookdale Kenmore senior living community.
• Orchard HeightscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecognized for exceptional care collaboration with Hospice Buffalo at their Orchard Heights facility.
• Buffalo Medical GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOncology team honored by Palliative Care Buffalo. Ongoing collaboration with Buffalo Medical Group for hospice and palliative care services.
• Primary Care of WNYcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecognized for early detection of patients' palliative care needs and collaboration in identifying patients who could benefit from hospice services.
• Gilda's ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormer Gilda's Club Mansion at 1140 Delaware Avenue was placed on the market with proceeds establishing an endowment fund.
• Hospice Foundation of Western New YorkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Hospice Foundation of WNY provides grant funding including for Camp Blue Skies and supports the organization's fundraising and endowment programs.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Amedisys Hospice: Multi-state home health and hospice provider with comparable home hospice, palliative, and bereavement offerings. A direct competitor for hospice referrals in any overlapping market.
• CenterWell Hospice (Humana): National hospice and home-health provider (formerly Kindred at Home), offering hospice, palliative, and bereavement services comparable to HPCB's full program set, with growing geographic overlap in the Northeast.
• VITAS Healthcare: Largest US hospice provider, operating home hospice, inpatient, and palliative care programs across multiple states. Highly comparable to HPCB in service mix and patient population, though substantially larger and for-profit.
• Hospice of the Western Reserve: Mid-sized nonprofit hospice in Northeast Ohio offering home hospice, palliative care, pediatric support, and a full bereavement program — extremely comparable in scope and mission to HPCB.
• Gentiva Hospice: National hospice operator providing home hospice, palliative, and bereavement support. Competes with HPCB for the same patient profiles, especially as it expands in New York State.

Broad incumbents

• Compassus: Large national hospice, palliative, and home-health provider. Comparable in service breadth (home hospice, palliative, grief support, facility partnerships) and competes for the same patient mix.
• Chemed Corporation (VITAS parent): Public parent of VITAS Healthcare. Included as a comparable because VITAS segment economics are the most relevant publicly observable hospice benchmark for HPCB's reimbursement-driven model.
• Visiting Nurse Service of New York Hospice and Palliative Care: Major New York-based nonprofit offering hospice and palliative care alongside broader home health services. Closest nonprofit peer in the broader NY geography for comparable mission-driven hospice care.

Emerging players

• Moments Hospice: Multi-state hospice provider growing across the Midwest and Northeast with comparable home hospice, palliative, and bereavement services — a relevant new-entrant competitor.

Regional players

• Niagara Hospice: Community-based nonprofit hospice serving Niagara County, NY — the next-county neighbor to HPCB. Closest geographic peer in Western New York with a similar mission and nonprofit structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=K6a42CrSZmU
• Facebookfacebook.com/HospiceandPalliativeCareBuffalo
• Xx.com/hospicebuffalo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hospice-buffalo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hospice & Palliative Care Buffalo