Comfort & Dignity for Your Loved Ones

HORISUN HOSPICE (www.HoriSunHospice.com) was founded in 2005 and provides help, hope and comfort to those facing a life-limiting illness in Lincoln and surrounding communities. Its qualified interdisciplinary team of health care professionals and trained volunteers ensure that each individual receives the unique quality of care that they deserve. The mission of HoriSun Hospice remains the same today, which is to deliver the highest level of holistic hospice care with honor and respect for patients and their families.

GIVE US A BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF WHAT YOUR COMPANY DOES. HoriSun Hospice is committed to pain and symptom management for individuals with a life-limiting illness. The focus is to treat the whole person (body, mind and spirit) and not just the disease.

WHO ARE THE OWNERS/IMPORTANT EXECUTIVES? Dr. Bob Bleicher, MD and Susan Burkey, RN, BSN, CHPN are the owners of HoriSun Hospice. Dr. Bleicher is our Executive and Medical Director. Mandy Miller, RN, BSN, CHPN is our Director of Clinical Services.

WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES YOU DIFFERENT FROM OTHER COMPANIES SIMILAR TO YOURS? HoriSun Hospice is the only locally owned hospice agency in Lincoln, Nebraska. We believe we are able to provide more personal services due to our small size. We are proud to be a resource for the Lincoln community on any end of life issue.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT DOING BUSINESS IN LINCOLN? Lincoln has a wide range of excellent resources available to its population. We enjoy working alongside many Lincoln physicians and staff within many Lincoln facilities. We love that there are so many good options for physicians and facilities that we know will serve our patients well.

WHAT KIND OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS/GROUPS ARE YOU INVOLVED WITH? A few examples of organizations we are involved with include the following: Coalition for Older Adult Health Promotion, Lincoln End of Life Coalition, Lincoln Caregiver Education Group, Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care Association, Mourning Hope, Clinic with a Heart, and Eastmont Foundation.

DO YOU HAVE A BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY? Our vision is to be the most respected, compassionate and utilized hospice care provider, serving all people. HoriSun’s purpose is to ensure the delivery of quality, safe, and cost-effective hospice services to patients and their families.

WHAT CHANGES HAVE YOU SEEN IN THE INDUSTRY AND YOUR COMPANY IN THE PAST FEW YEARS? There have been many changes in state and federal regulations that require much more thorough documentation. This is of great benefit to patients and families in that they are better served by hospice agencies that are compliant and serve with integrity, improving the industry overall.

WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING WITH THE BUSINESS IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS? We believe we will continue to see regulatory changes which will ensure the best quality of care in an ever-changing healthcare landscape.

WHAT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT YOUR COMPANY HAS FACED? A major challenge that the hospice industry is experiencing is a very short length of stay for patients. Because of that challenge, it is more difficult to develop necessary relationships with both patients and their loved ones and they miss out on the many benefits that hospice could provide. The hospice benefit does provide for patients with a life expectancy of six months or less, but we are facing lengths of stay that may only last days to weeks. HoriSun continually works to educate physicians, facilities and the public on many resources available to patients facing a life-limiting illness. We believe in quality of life and living life to its fullest, as seen in our tagline “great care with love for life.”

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR MOST IMPORTANT ACHIEVEMENT AS A BUSINESS? This agency began over ten years ago with a small staff of just four. We are so proud today that we have seen significant growth in both our employment and the amount of people that we are able to serve.

WHAT IS THE MOST UNIQUE OR INTERESTING THING ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS THAT MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW? Most people are unaware that hospice cares for more than just the patient. We get to know loved ones, facility staff that became family, and those closest to our patients to be able to support them at a time when it is greatly needed. Our bereavement services provide support and counseling to assist in coping and handling related to a life-limiting illness and loss. We provide ongoing support to loved ones for at least 13 months after the death of a loved one.

WHAT IS ONE GOAL FOR YOUR BUSINESS THAT YOU HAVE YET TO ACCOMPLISH? Through years of service, we have noticed many underserved populations within our community. A major goal we have is to allow access and outreach to serve these populations. Everyone deserves comfort, safety and dignity when facing end of life.

HoriSun Hospice is located at 2200 S. 40th Street, Suite 101.
For more information, including eligibility and admissions which are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, please call (402) 484-6444 or visit HoriSun Hospice at  www.HoriSunHospice.com.