Hospice of West Alabama

What Hospice of West Alabama does

Hospice of West Alabama (HOWA) is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) hospice organization incorporated in 1980 and serving its first patient in May 1982. Headquartered on the campus of the Tuscaloosa Veterans Affairs Medical Center at 3851 Loop Road, HOWA delivers end-of-life hospice care to terminally ill patients across a seven-county service area in West Alabama (Tuscaloosa, Pickens, Greene, Hale, Bibb, Fayette, and Lamar counties). The organization operates the only free-standing hospice inpatient facility in the region, the 15-bed Helen H. Hahn House, which opened in November 2004 and has served more than 8,200 patients since inception. HOWA employs more than 80 staff and engages more than 200 volunteers, serving over 700 patients and families annually.

HOWA's service model is an interdisciplinary team approach combining medical, nursing, social work, spiritual care, and volunteer support to deliver pain management, symptom control, and emotional and spiritual support to patients with a life-limiting illness and a prognosis of six months or less. Care is delivered in home settings, nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, and the Helen H. Hahn House inpatient facility. The organization also operates the Eugenia Patton Faucett Sunrise Center, which provides free bereavement and grief support services to the entire community regardless of prior patient status.

The revenue model is a hybrid of per-diem reimbursement from Medicare (since 1989), Medicaid (since 1990), and private insurance (including Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama), supplemented by community donations, United Way of West Alabama funding (member agency since 1984), and a Patron Society membership program ($2,000+ individuals, $5,000+ businesses). No patient is turned away for inability to pay. HOWA earns no subscription revenue in the traditional sense; rather, it receives capitated per-diem payments for hospice services. The organization became the first freestanding hospice in Alabama to achieve Joint Commission accreditation in 1998 and achieved Deemed Status in 2011.

Name

Hospice of West Alabama

Legal name

Hospice of West Alabama, Inc.

Website

https://hospiceofwestal.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Hospice of West Alabama is a non-profit 501(c)(3) hospice provider serving terminally ill patients across seven counties in West Alabama since 1982. It operates the only free-standing hospice inpatient facility in the region, the 15-bed Helen H. Hahn House, with 80+ staff and 200+ volunteers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospice and Palliative Care Services

NAICS

Home Health Care Services (62161), Other Residential Care Facilities (6239)

SIC

Services-Home Health Care Services (8082), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)

akta.pro primary industry

Home Hospice (Routine Home Care) (HLADAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Residential Hospice / Hospice House (Facility-Based) (HLADAHAC), Bereavement & Grief Support Services (Hospice-Affiliated/Independent) (HLADAHAL)

Keywords

• Hospice care services
• Palliative care
• End-of-life care
• Bereavement counseling
• Inpatient hospice facility

Headquarters

HQ city

Tuscaloosa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Medicare Hospice Benefit: Primary revenue source covering hospice services under Medicare Part A for eligible beneficiaries with life-limiting illness and six months or less prognosis
2. Medicaid Hospice Benefit: Coverage available in Alabama for eligible individuals requiring hospice care
3. Private Insurance: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama and most private insurance plans cover hospice services
4. Community Donations: Nearly 90% of financial resources directly benefit patients and families served. Donations enable care for uninsured patients and services not covered by insurance.
5. United Way of West Alabama: United Way member agency funding supporting operations and ensuring no one physically appropriate for hospice is turned away due to inability to pay
6. Patron Society Membership: Annual memberships: $2,000+ for individuals/couples, $5,000+ for businesses/organizations to support operations

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Hospice of West Alabama provides end-of-life hospice and palliative care services to terminally ill patients across seven West Alabama counties. Services include home-based hospice care, a 15-bed freestanding inpatient facility (Helen H. Hahn House), pain and symptom management, nursing, social work, spiritual/chaplain support, respite care, and community bereavement counseling, delivered by an interdisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, aides, social workers, chaplains, and volunteers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Home-Based Hospice Care Interdisciplinary hospice care delivered at the patient's residence (single family home, nursing home, or assisted living) across Tuscaloosa, Pickens, Greene, Hale, Bibb, Fayette, and Lamar counties. Includes routine home care, skilled nursing for temporary crisis, respite care for caregivers, and 24/7 on-call availability, paid for primarily through the Medicare hospice benefit.
• Helen H. Hahn House Inpatient Hospice Facility 15-bed freestanding hospice inpatient facility located on the Tuscaloosa Veterans Affairs Medical Center campus, providing general inpatient care for uncontrolled symptoms, crisis management, and respite care in a homelike setting. Expanded from 10 to 15 patient rooms with a 4,030 square-foot wing addition completed on September 22, 2014, and has served more than 8,200 patients since opening on November 1, 2004.
• Bereavement and Grief Support Services Free community-wide grief counseling, bereavement support groups, individual and family therapy, and memorial events offered through the Pat Faucett Bereavement Program at the Eugenia Patton Faucett Sunrise Center. Available to any community member regardless of whether their loved one was a HOWA patient.
• HOWA Patron Society Membership Annual membership program supporting HOWA operations, with tiers at $2,000+ for individuals and couples and $5,000+ for businesses and organizations. Memberships fund care for patients regardless of ability to pay.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 8,200 patients served by inpatient facility since November 2004
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• United Way of West AlabamacoreOthersMember agency since 1984. United Way funding supports operations and enables care for patients regardless of ability to pay.
• The Joint CommissioncoreOthersJoint Commission accredited since 1998 (first freestanding hospice in Alabama) and achieved Deemed Status in 2011, affirming quality and safety standards.
• Medicare and Medicaid ProgramscoreOthersHOWA is certified under Medicare (since 1989) and Medicaid (since 1990) programs to provide covered hospice services to eligible beneficiaries.
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of AlabamacoreOthersApproved provider for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama insurance plans, covering hospice services for policyholders.
• Tuscaloosa Veterans Affairs Medical CentercoreOthersHOWA's inpatient facility (Helen H. Hahn House) is located on the VA Medical Center campus. HOWA worked with the Tuscaloosa VA on developing an Enhanced Use Lease for approximately 3.17 acres.
• AHPCOminorOthersMember of the Association of Hospice and Palliative Care Organizations
• NHPCOminorOthersMember of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
• Tuscaloosa Chamber of CommerceminorOthersMember of the local chamber of commerce for business community engagement

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Compassus: Operates a multi-state hospice, palliative care, and home health network with strong community-based hospice programs. Comparable to HOWA in service mix (home + facility hospice, bereavement, palliative support) and target patient population.
• Amedisys: National provider of home health, hospice, and high-acuity care with a large hospice census across the Southeast. Directly competes for hospice referrals in Alabama and shares the same Medicare hospice reimbursement model and freestanding-network asset strategy.
• LHC Group (Optum): Large home health and hospice provider with hospice operations across the Southeast. Comparable in Medicare-anchored hospice delivery, referral-driven GTM, and post-acute care partnerships with hospitals and physicians.
• Seasons Hospice & Palliative Care: National hospice provider offering routine home care, inpatient hospice, and community bereavement programs. Directly comparable to HOWA's full-service hospice model and community grief support offerings.
• AseraCare Hospice: Multi-state hospice provider with strong presence in Alabama and the broader Southeast. Comparable in service scope (home hospice, bereavement, palliative support) and reliance on Medicare hospice reimbursement.
• VITAS Healthcare (Chemed): The largest hospice provider in the United States, operating freestanding inpatient hospice units and routine home hospice across multiple states. Highly comparable to HOWA's multi-level hospice care model (home + inpatient) and Medicare-centric reimbursement model.
• PruittHealth: Southeast-based post-acute and hospice provider headquartered in Georgia with hospice services in Alabama. Comparable to HOWA in regional Southeast footprint, community-based hospice delivery, and Medicare/Medicaid payer mix.
• Gentiva: National hospice and home health provider with a significant Southeast regional footprint. Highly comparable Medicare-anchored hospice care model and competes with HOWA for physician referrals and community contracts in Alabama.

Broad incumbents

• Encompass Health: Large post-acute and rehabilitation care provider with adjacent home health and hospice services. Broader portfolio than HOWA but overlapping in hospice care delivery and Southeast regional presence.

Regional players

• Alacare Home Health & Hospice: Alabama-headquartered home health and hospice provider with comparable community-based hospice service model. Direct Alabama competitor for hospice referrals and shares HOWA's state-anchored GTM and Medicare hospice reimbursement dependence.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/hospiceofwestalabama
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hospice-of-west-alabama-inc-
• Instagraminstagram.com/hospiceofwestal
• Xx.com/HospiceofWestAL

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 of West Alabama