Hospice Council of West Virginia
Knowledge about hospice care has come a long way in the past 40 years , but there is still much work to do . That ’ s where the Hospice Council of West Virginia steps in . The nonprofit includes all 19 hospices in the state , with the goal of promoting quality hospice and palliative care in West Virginia .
Led by Executive Director Chris Zinn since 2012 , the organization aims to improve understanding of hospice and palliative care by offering education and networking for providers ; advocating for policies , regulations , standards and reimbursement for hospice and palliative care ; and fostering communication between hospice and palliative care providers and other health care providers in the state .
As the director , Zinn works with the national organization on the Council of States and advocates for hospices within the state . The hospice council also has joined a national organization , Coalition to Transform Advanced Care . Zinn hopes to form a statewide group to advance its mission and complement the work of the State Advisory Coalition on Palliative Care .
One of the council ’ s main goals is for patients to be referred earlier .
“ The most common thing we hear from families is , ‘ I wish I had known about this sooner ,’” says Zinn . “ Many West Virginians are still referred very late for palliative care and hospice , and I think the West Virginia health care system needs to be transformed to ensure that every West Virginian receives high quality care from diagnosis of a serious illness .”
2018 , she helped advocate for the palliative care bill , and she ’ s supported the preservation of West Virginia ’ s Certificate of Need to sustain hospice care in rural communities . She has also advocated for the passage of the Rural Access to Hospice Act and supports more substantial palliative care benefits .
“ I have been inspired by the way we all come together to work for a common goal ,” she says of West Virginia hospice leaders . “ We all share the same mission and that is to provide the very best care to West Virginians facing a serious illness and to support their families .”
Zinn ’ s efforts have earned her recognition as the 2007 West Virginia Professional Woman of the Year , University of Glasgow ’ s 2011 Ann B . McNaught Prize recipient and Future of Nursing West Virginia ’ s 2018 40 Over 40 Nightingale
Award winner . She considers the Hubbard House her greatest career achievement and has enjoyed how it has made hospice more visible and involved other community groups , such as faith communities , garden clubs , schools and civic groups . She has also been involved with West Virginians for Affordable Health Care , Faith in Action of the Greater Kanawha Valley and First Presbyterian Church in Charleston , where she has served as a deacon , demonstrating her great love for her adopted home .
“ There were great opportunities for me in health care , and I arrived at a time when hospice was a grassroots movement and nurses were all volunteers ,” says Zinn . “ I believe I have been able to make a difference here . There are challenges and opportunities here , and Mountaineers can pull together to bring about change .” •
WWW . WVEXECUTIVE . COM WINTER 2021 121