A new source of funding for Birchwood

When it comes to market share bigger is better. This is true whether you’re selling newspapers or hospice services.

In June, Birchwood: The Mary Burich Hospice House in Hutchinson was granted an adult foster care license by McLeod County Social Services.

Since opening its doors in 2005, Birchwood has struggled to find its niche in the marketplace. Although surveys reported high customer satisfaction, beds remained empty.

What this license means is that it adds an additional funding source for Birchwood: Medicaid/waiver eligible clients.
What it doesn’t mean is adult day care or a group home or anything like that.

Birchwood’s mission of providing high quality end-of-life care isn’t changing and its admission criteria remains the same, too. Residents need to be hospice eligible with a six month or less life expectancy.

To read more, see the print edition of the Hutchinson Leader for Thursday, July 24, 2008.

Kay Johnson is a staff writer at the Hutchinson Leader. She can be reached at johnson@hutchinsonleader.com).