Hospice of Cincinnati

What Hospice of Cincinnati does

Hospice of Cincinnati, legally Hospice of Cincinnati, Inc., is a non-profit hospice and palliative care provider established in 1977 and operating under the HOC Navigators brand since a 2020 rebrand. It is the fourth-oldest hospice in the United States and the oldest and largest in the Cincinnati region, with a staff of 501-1000 employees supplemented by 700+ volunteers. The organization is sponsored by Bethesda Inc. in a collaborative community partnership with TriHealth and Bon Secours Mercy Health.

The company's core offering is end-of-life hospice care, delivered primarily in patients' homes (90% of cases) across seven southwest Ohio counties, with escalation capacity through four Inpatient Care Centers located in Blue Ash, Anderson, Hamilton, and The Christ Hospital. Around this core, HOC has built a portfolio of specialty programs that constitute its primary product differentiation: the Advanced Cardiac Care Program (American Heart Association certified), Advanced Dementia Care Program (with the HOC Lasting Wish doll therapy initiative), Advanced Lung Care Program, and a Level Four We Honor Veterans program. Supporting services include PalliaCare Cincinnati (home-based palliative medicine), Conversations of a Lifetime (advance care planning), Holistic Therapies, Social Connections (loneliness intervention), and grief support through the Goldstein Family Grief Center (adults) and Fernside Center for Grieving Children (a separately incorporated 501(c)(3) affiliate).

The business model is reimbursement-driven and structurally consistent with U.S. hospice economics. Revenue is generated primarily through per-diem Medicare Hospice Benefit payments, Medicaid, private insurance reimbursements, and Veterans Administration coverage, with supplementary funding from charitable donations and foundation grants (notably $1.8M+ from bi3 across 2021-2023 for pediatric grief and DEI/health equity initiatives). Patient acquisition is dominated by referrals from TriHealth, Bon Secours Mercy Health, and the broader southwestern Ohio physician network, supplemented by community outreach, a public-facing "Is Hospice Care Right for You?" assessment tool, and earned media including NPR/WVXU. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; healthcare services are billed through insurance and government programs on a recurring basis rather than transacted directly with patients.

Name

Hospice of Cincinnati

Legal name

Hospice of Cincinnati, Inc.

Website

https://hospiceofcincinnati.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Hospice of Cincinnati is a non-profit hospice and palliative care provider serving seven southwest Ohio counties, delivering home-based end-of-life care, four inpatient centers, and specialty programs in cardiac, dementia, lung, and veteran care under the HOC Navigators brand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospice and Palliative Care

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) (62311), Nursing and Residential Care Facilities (623)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Home Hospice Agencies (HLAFAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Inpatient Hospice (General Inpatient Care) (HLADAHAB), Community-Based Palliative Care (Home-Based Non-Hospice) (HLADAHAH)

Keywords

• Hospice care services
• Palliative care programs
• Grief counseling support
• Advanced illness care
• End-of-life care

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Medicare Hospice Benefit: Government-funded Medicare hospice benefit covers most hospice services for eligible patients, representing the primary revenue source for hospice care in the United States.
2. Medicaid Hospice Coverage: State Medicaid programs cover hospice services for eligible low-income patients.
3. Private Insurance Reimbursement: Most private health insurance plans cover hospice services, providing reimbursement for care provided.
4. Donations and Grants: Charitable donations from individuals and grants from foundations like bi3 support program development, diversity initiatives, and special services. Fernside received a $1.3 million grant from bi3.
5. Veterans Administration Coverage: Hospice services covered for veterans through the Veterans Administration healthcare system.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Hospice of Cincinnati provides hospice and palliative care services for terminally and seriously ill patients, primarily delivered as home-based care across seven counties in southwest Ohio, supplemented by four inpatient care centers. Under the HOC Navigators brand, the organization delivers disease-specific specialty programs for cardiac, dementia, lung disease, and veteran patients, along with advance care planning, holistic therapies, socialization support, and grief services for adults and children.

Product overview

Hospice of Cincinnati operates as a unified hospice and palliative care organization under the HOC Navigators brand, offering a coordinated portfolio of services. The core offering is Hospice Care (end-of-life care at home or inpatient), supplemented by Palliative Care services including PalliaCare Cincinnati and Hospital-Based Palliative Medicine. Grief support is provided through the Goldstein Family Grief Center for adults and the Fernside Center for Children (an affiliated 501(c)(3)). The organization also offers specialized disease-specific programs: Advanced Cardiac Care Program (AHA-certified), Advanced Dementia Care Program, Advanced Lung Care Program, and Veterans Program. Additional services include Advance Care Planning (Conversations of a Lifetime), Socialization Support, Holistic Therapies, and the HOC Lasting Wish Program for dementia care. 90% of hospice care is provided in patients' homes, with four Inpatient Care Centers available for patients with uncontrolled symptoms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PalliaCare Cincinnati: Program providing relief from symptoms of serious illness in the home
• Conversations of a Lifetime
• Social Connections
• Goldstein Family Grief Center
• Fernside Center for Grieving Children

Products and services

• Hospice Care End-of-life care provided at home or at inpatient care centers for patients with terminal illness, focused on creating the best possible end-of-life experience with pain and symptom management, emotional and spiritual support, and respite care.
• Palliative Care Medical care focused on providing relief from symptoms and stress of serious illness, including PalliaCare Cincinnati (home-based) and Hospital-Based Palliative Medicine services.
• Advanced Cardiac Care Program Specialized program managing symptoms of advanced heart disease in patients' homes, with elevated nursing attention and American Heart Association-approved evidence-based practices.
• Advanced Dementia Care Program Specialized program for patients with advanced dementia, including the HOC Lasting Wish program providing doll therapy, busy blankets, musical players, and lifelike pets for comfort and engagement.
• Advanced Lung Care Program Specialized program managing symptoms of advanced lung disease, providing respiratory care, oxygen therapy support, and symptom management in the patient's home.
• Veterans Program Program with Level Four We Honor Veterans certification (the highest level) providing specialized hospice care for veterans, including recognition ceremonies honoring military service.
• Grief Services Bereavement support services including the Goldstein Family Grief Center for adults and Fernside Center for Grieving Children, providing grief counseling, support groups, individual counseling, and memorial services.
• Advance Care Planning Services to help patients document medical wishes and plan for future healthcare decisions, including the Conversations of a Lifetime program that helps families discuss end-of-life planning and advance directives.
• Socialization Support Programs designed to alleviate loneliness and social isolation for patients dealing with serious illness, including Social Connections programming.
• Holistic Therapies Therapeutic services designed to bring higher quality of life to hospice patients through various holistic approaches.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% of hospice care provided where the patient calls home
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TriHealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative community partnership in which TriHealth works with Hospice of Cincinnati to provide integrated hospice and palliative care services. Hospice of Cincinnati is sponsored by Bethesda Inc. in partnership with TriHealth and Bon Secours Mercy Health.
• Bon Secours Mercy HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative community partnership providing hospice services. Hospice of Cincinnati is sponsored by Bethesda Inc. in partnership with TriHealth and Bon Secours Mercy Health to serve the Cincinnati community.
• Bethesda Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of Hospice of Cincinnati in a collaborative community partnership with TriHealth and Bon Secours Mercy Health.
• American Heart Association (AHA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the Advanced Cardiac Care Program (ACCP) using evidence-based practices approved by the AHA for managing symptoms in heart failure patients at end of life. Hospice of Cincinnati was one of the first in the nation to receive AHA certification in end-of-life care for heart failure patients.
• National Institute for Jewish Hospice (NIJH)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIJH accreditation provides staff training, insights on treating Jewish patients who are terminally ill, and access to resources and education about Jewish customs and practices when caring for Jewish hospice patients.
• We Honor Veterans Program (NHPCO & VA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLevel Four certification - the highest level achievable - demonstrating commitment to providing quality care to veteran patients through specialized training and recognition programs.
• National Partnership for Hospice Innovations (NPHI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember organization supporting hospice innovation and excellence across the hospice industry.
• The Joint CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccreditation body that evaluates and accredits healthcare organizations based on national quality and safety standards.
• FernsidecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFernside Center for Grieving Children is a 501(c)(3) organization and affiliate of Hospice of Cincinnati, providing grief support services specifically for children, teens and families.
• TriHealth BOLD ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuilding Our Leadership Diversity (BOLD) Program - a leadership development program designed primarily for underrepresented team members to help prepare them for the next stage in their careers. Leveraged as part of the DEI grant work.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Gentiva Hospice: A large national hospice and palliative care provider (spun out of Kindred at Home), serving patients across the U.S. with both home-based and inpatient hospice services. Closely comparable service lines to HOC with materially greater geographic scale and capital backing.
• Amedisys (Optum / UnitedHealth Group): A national home health and hospice provider recently acquired by UnitedHealth Group/Optum. Operates hospice programs across the U.S. with significant scale advantages; overlaps HOC in core hospice services but is part of a far broader payvider/clinical services portfolio.
• Enhabit: A home health and hospice operator spun out from Encompass Health, with hospice programs in 30+ states including Ohio. Comparable in providing home-based hospice services as part of a broader post-acute care portfolio, though with a national rather than regional focus.

Direct peers

• Compassus: A national hospice, palliative, and home health provider operating across more than 30 states, with a strong presence in Ohio. Closely comparable in offering home-based hospice, palliative care, and grief services, though structured as a for-profit with broader geographic reach.
• VITAS Healthcare (Chemed Corporation): The largest hospice provider in the United States, operating across 15+ states with both routine home hospice and inpatient hospice facilities. Directly comparable in service mix (home hospice plus inpatient centers, palliative care, veterans programs) though broader in geographic reach than HOC.
• Capital Caring Health: A non-profit hospice and palliative care provider in the Mid-Atlantic region with a similar mission-driven model, including home hospice, inpatient care, palliative care, and grief counseling — a structural analogue to HOC's community-based non-profit operating model.
• BrightSpring Health Services: A diversified home and community-based health services provider whose hospice and palliative care segment directly competes with HOC. Comparable in core hospice and palliative services, with additional pharmacy and home health verticals.
• Ohio's Hospice: A community-based, non-profit hospice collaborative serving multiple regions of Ohio — including areas near Cincinnati. Direct regional competitor with a similar mission-driven, multi-site operating model and comparable service portfolio (home hospice, palliative care, grief support).
• AccentCare (Seasons Hospice & Palliative Care): A national post-acute care provider with a hospice and palliative care segment (Seasons). Directly comparable in home hospice, inpatient hospice, palliative care, and grief services, with overlapping specialty programs in cardiac and dementia care.

Regional players

• ProMedica Hospice: A Northwest Ohio-based non-profit health system that operates hospice services across the state. Comparable in mission-driven, regional hospice delivery and overlap with palliative care programs, but primarily serves a different Ohio geography from HOC.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCfrZSbvIpHdE9Rpo_Sh_PKw
• Facebookfacebook.com/HospiceofCincinnati
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hospice-of-cincinnati
• Xx.com/hospiceofcincy

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Cincinnati