NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — After rumors of a sale, the nonprofit Alive Hospice will stay just that — a nonprofit.
The board voted on the measure Tuesday afternoon, NewsChannel 5 Investigates confirmed. The group supports families through the hospice experience when they have a loved one dying.
Rumors started swirling in early May that the long-time Nashville nonprofit would sell out to a for-profit company. Alive Hospice would never say whether that was true, leaving supporters to worry about what a change like that would mean.
Those vying to keep it a nonprofit included popular names, such as former Congressman Jim Cooper and country artists Faith Hill and Tim McGraw.
This is what Alive Hospice told NewsChannel 5 Investigates in a statement:
The Alive Board of Directors has determined that Alive will remain a not-for-profit, independent organization providing hospice, palliative care and mission-based support services to people across Middle Tennessee.
This decision follows several months of working with third-party advisors to explore the industry and local dynamics that will impact Alive’s operations in the years ahead, from reimbursement changes to labor shortages and rising costs to privatization and consolidation across healthcare.
Securing the future of Alive for the long term will require a significant investment of time, expertise and resources of our community, and we are planning to solicit feedback from the community to engage Middle Tennesseans in this effort. The last several weeks have demonstrated how much Middle Tennesseans truly care about Alive and are committed to supporting its mission.
The Board recognizes the recent outpouring of care Alive has received. However, we also have been dismayed by the circulation of false reports and incomplete information that have only hurt Alive, its staff and the people they serve.
The Alive Board is made up of volunteers who dedicate their time and passion to Alive. They would never do anything to hurt or jeopardize Alive’s future and ability to serve the community. We look forward to moving past this difficult chapter and engaging with members of the community to better understand what they value in Alive and seek their ongoing support for its growth.
We are hopeful that we can harness the community’s energy and passion in tangible and constructive ways to ensure Alive continues to be the community asset it has been since 1975.
