Nashville Hospice CEO Steps Down After Pushback Over Rumored Sale To For-Profit Health Provider
Image Credit: John Partipilo
By Kathy Carlson [Tennessee Lookout -CC BY-NC-ND 4.0] –
Kimberly Goessele, chief executive officer of Alive Hospice, has stepped down from her role in leading the nonprofit, the organization said in a news release issued last Thursday evening.
Alive Chief Operating Officer Joe Hampe has been named interim CEO, the release said. “Goessele will continue to support the organization for several weeks to ensure a smooth transition,” it said.
“Alive is grateful to Kimberly for her service to the organization and to the people and community we serve,” the release said. “During the past four years, Kimberly has shepherded the organization through steady growth and significant change, most notably an unprecedented global pandemic that deeply impacted the lives of employees, patients and their families. We wish her the best in her future endeavors and appreciate her continuous support of Alive and its mission.”
Alive Hospice, founded in 1975, is a nonprofit organization that provides residential and at-home care to people with terminal illnesses. It also supports families through the grieving process.
Alive has been at the center of controversy in Nashville since news of the board’s plan to sell the nonprofit hospice center to a for-profit health company became public in April. Community members supporting Alive filed a complaint with Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti and area celebrities, including singers Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, urged Alive’s board not to sell.
Alive never commented on whether it was to be sold, citing only a nondisclosure agreement; it never disclosed the entity it had the agreement with. In response to talk of a possible sale, the founders of the nonprofit, along with current and former Alive Hospice board leadership and current and former nursing staff, formed a group called Keep Alive Alive to urge that the hospice remain nonprofit.
On June 6, Alive Hospice issued an announcement saying it will remain a nonprofit.
“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,” the statement said.
“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.”
Alive Hospice is the third oldest hospice in the country and is the sole remaining nonprofit hospice in Middle Tennessee, according to its website.
