Press Releases

MADISON, Wis. – Phil Hellmuth’s Hold’em with HospiceCare is back, and so is Madison’s own “Poker Brat,” who will again emcee the marathon poker tournament that benefits Agrace HospiceCare. Poker players who attend the second annual event will have a chance to test their Texas Hold’em skills against 11-time World Series of Poker champion Phil Hellmuth and other celebrities. The action takes place Saturday, December 17, from 2:00 p.m. until midnight at the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery Town Center, 330 N. Orchard St. in Madison.

All proceeds from Phil Hellmuth’s Hold’em with HospiceCare benefit the patients and families served by Agrace HospiceCare, south central Wisconsin’s nonprofit community hospice providing support for 600 to 650 people each day.

"It will be tough to top last year's jet-fueled, energy-laced event!  But we aim to, when I hit Mad-town for Phil Hellmuth's Hold’em with HospiceCare 2011 on December 17," said Hellmuth. “This is going to be the night to remember in Madison, all to help Agrace HospiceCare and the good it does for the community.”

Attendees will test their skill at Texas Hold’em while mingling with local and national celebrities, including former NFL and UW Badgers football player Derek Engler, pro golfer Jerry Kelly, world-renowned poker player Annette Obrestad and UW Badgers women’s hockey coach and member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey team Mark Johnson. Fabulous food, drink and entertainment will set the stage for Hellmuth’s high-energy performance as emcee.

Entrance into the poker tournament includes a raffle ticket for the chance to win a seat to play in the 2012 World Series of Poker, a $10,000 value. A silent auction and additional raffle prizes will also offer an array of exclusive opportunities and exceptional prizes, including a two-year lease of a 2012 Zimbrick Honda CR-V LX. More information is available at agracehospicecare.org or facebook.com/agracehospicecare.

To reserve a media pass for the event, contact:
Liz Kopling, Media Specialist
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it    Office: (608) 327-7219   Cell: (608) 772-9653

Agrace HospiceCare has been providing physical, emotional and spiritual support to patients and families dealing with life-limiting conditions for more than 30 years. Formerly known as HospiceCare Inc., Agrace HospiceCare is a nonprofit, community-based hospice that took on its new name in 2011. With offices in Madison and Janesville, Agrace HospiceCare serves residents in Dane, Green, Jefferson, Rock and Walworth counties.  

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MADISON, Wis. – Agrace HospiceCare has been recognized by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) for its commitment to ensuring veterans have access to quality end-of-life care. The community-based nonprofit hospice announced that it has achieved Partner Level One status through NHPCO’s We Honor Veterans program.  

Hospices can receive We Honor Veterans designations by completing activities for each of the four levels of commitment. This enables U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs staff and veterans to easily identify hospices that have made a commitment to offer veteran-specific care and services provided by a competent and highly skilled workforce, according to NHPCO. 

“Agrace HospiceCare is committed to the We Honor Veterans program pillars of respectful inquiry, compassionate listening and grateful acknowledgment to honor those who made sacrifices for our country,” said Laura Jennings, Agrace director of community outreach. “By recognizing veterans’ unique needs, Agrace can learn how to accompany and guide these men and women and their loved ones toward a positive and peaceful end-of-life experience.”  

Through the We Honor Veterans program, Agrace staff use a comprehensive list of questions to learn more about the veteran's military service and any implications their service may have for the care to be provided—including challenges from illness, isolation or traumatic life experiences. Educational materials available through the program ensure staff are prepared to meet veterans’ unique needs.  

Contact: Liz Kopling, Media Specialist
Office: (608) 327-7219   Cell: (608) 772-9653

Agrace HospiceCare has been providing physical, emotional and spiritual support to patients and families dealing with life-limiting conditions for more than 30 years. Formerly known as HospiceCare Inc., Agrace HospiceCare is a nonprofit, community-based hospice that took on its new name in 2011. With offices in Madison and Janesville, Agrace HospiceCare serves residents in Dane, Green, Jefferson, Rock and Walworth counties. For more information, visit agracehospicecare.org.

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MADISON, Wis. – Agrace HospiceCare announced today that after practicing medicine in the Madison area for more than 50 years, medical director Dr. Bill Rock is transitioning to a new role as the nonprofit hospice’s first medical director emeritus. While he will be retired, the status will entitle Dr. Rock to continue to interact with staff, visit with patients and remain an active member of the Agrace community. He will also continue to maintain an office at the Agrace HospiceCare campus in Fitchburg.  

Consistently referred to as one of the last doctors to make house calls, Dr. Rock volunteered his services as a medical director at Agrace until the Medicare Hospice Benefit of 1983 initiated a system for reimbursing for hospice services. He became the organization’s first official medical director in 1984 and has been with Agrace ever since.  Dr. Rock is also a medical director emeritus at Dean Medical Center, S.C., and a staff member at St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center. A member of the Ethics Committee at St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center since 1980, he has chaired that committee since 1988. He also sits on the Ethics Committee at Agrace and plans to continue as a member. 

Named Madison Magazine Person of the Year in 2010, Dr. Rock has shared his time generously in helping others become comfortable with the concepts that death is a part of life and that a life can be lived fully to its end. Hospice, he says, is a way to make those last months as enjoyable as possible. “I like to think it’s a way to make one’s life credible,” says Rock. 

Contact: Liz Kopling, Media Specialist
Office: (608) 327-7219   Cell: (608) 772-9653

Agrace HospiceCare has been providing physical, emotional and spiritual support to patients and families dealing with life-limiting conditions for more than 30 years. Formerly known as HospiceCare Inc., Agrace HospiceCare is a nonprofit, community-based hospice that took on its new name in 2011. With offices in Madison and Janesville, Agrace HospiceCare serves residents in Dane, Green, Jefferson, Rock and Walworth counties. For more information, visit agracehospicecare.org.

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MADISON, Wis. – The state’s largest hospice announced today that, effective immediately, it is changing its name to Agrace HospiceCare after more than 30 years as HospiceCare Inc. The Madison-based nonprofit is making the move to rebrand after research findings identified a need to dispel confusion and distinguish between for-profit and nonprofit hospices within their service area. 

Research through focus groups and a survey conducted by Chamberlain Research Consultants Inc. showed that the public was confused by or could not recall the HospiceCare Inc. name even though nine out of 10 people served by a hospice in Dane County were cared for by the organization, according to the most recent data available from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The CMS data showed that in Rock County, one in two people are served by Agrace HospiceCare.  

Research findings

HospiceCare’s survey was conducted via telephone with 503 residents of Dane and Rock counties, age 30 and older, in November 2010. Quota controls were set on demographic questions to ensure results were representative of the general population. All statistical hypothesis tests are reported at the 95 percent confidence level, and the overall margin of error for this study is ± 4 percent (± 6 percent at the individual county level).

• When asked to name some area hospices, only 25 percent could recall HospiceCare by name even though HospiceCare has a majority of market share in Dane (97 percent) and Rock (54 percent) counties.
  • Even when surveyors accepted responses like Madison Hospice, Janesville Hospice, Ellen & Peter Hospice, Don & Marilyn Hospice, Rock County Hospice, Dane County Hospice, etc., to mean “HospiceCare,” the percentage came up to just 33 percent.

• When given a list of all hospices in the service area, only 55 percent said they had heard of HospiceCare.
• 63 percent of those surveyed didn’t know HospiceCare Inc. was nonprofit.
• 50 people thought HospiceCare Inc. was the for-profit hospice on the list.
• 145 people thought HospiceCare Inc. was a national hospice chain.

“The research clearly indicated that the ‘HospiceCare Inc.’ name was a problem,” said Agrace HospiceCare Vice President of Public Affairs Dan Chin. “Not having an identifier in front of HospiceCare, like ‘Agrace,’ made it difficult for people to identify our organization.” Respondents also found that the “Inc.” sounds corporate, causing some to assume HospiceCare is a for-profit organization.

Comments from stakeholder interviews reiterated and clarified the key problems. Statements included:“

• The name ‘HospiceCare’ is the same as the service we provide. Are we talking about the service or the entity?”
• “ ‘Inc.’ says we’re corporate.”
• “ ‘HospiceCare’ is generic. It’s like calling one of the local hospitals ‘Hospital, Inc.’ ”

Community stakeholders

The name change was also a move by Agrace HospiceCare to protect the community’s investment in the nonprofit organization. More than 1,100 community members volunteer their time with Agrace HospiceCare each year and many people have supported the organization financially as well.  

“While our name is changing, our compassionate people and outstanding care are exactly the same,” said Chin.”            

Agrace HospiceCare first opened in Madison in 1978 and practiced nearly two decades before community support allowed for the 2000 construction of the Don & Marilyn Anderson HospiceCare Center in Fitchburg, followed by the Ellen & Peter Johnson HospiceCare residence in 2006. For more information, visit agracehospicecare.org.  

Contact: Liz Kopling, Media Specialist
Office: (608) 327-7219   Cell: (608) 772-9653

Agrace HospiceCare has been providing physical, emotional and spiritual support to patients and families dealing with life-limiting conditions for more than 30 years. Formerly known as HospiceCare Inc., Agrace HospiceCare is a nonprofit, community-based hospice that took on its new name in 2011. With offices in Madison and Janesville, Agrace HospiceCare serves residents in Dane, Green, Jefferson, Rock and Walworth counties.  

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