COLUMBUS, Ind. — Laura Leonard, president of Our Hospice of South Central Indiana and Palliative Care, will retire at the end of this year after nine years of leading the organization.
Leonard succeeded Our Hospice founder, Sandy Carmichael, who led the local hospice organization from its inception in 1980. Laura joined Our Hospice in November 2013. During Leonard’s tenure, Our Hospice has:
- grown the number of patients served annually from 1,100 patients to more than 1,450
- expanded the geographic footprint from 15 to 16 counties served
- increased the number of staff from 148 to 170
- expanded Bereavement care service to include children’s groups and outreach
- launched Palliative Care as a new medical specialty in 2019 currently serving over 350 patients
- initiated an endowment for future sustainability of unfunded or under-funded services including Palliative Care, Bereavement Care and the Hospice Center
- strengthened and expanded the leadership structure and the strategic planning capability of the organization
- set the path for growth and financial sustainability
“Under Laura’s guidance, the organization has grown in so many ways. She has spearheaded the increase in the number of patients cared for, in the community outreach and impact, and has also increased philanthropic support of our local hospice,” said Our Hospice Board of Director’s President, Tom Dowd. “By far, her greatest achievement was the launching of Palliative Care, a service that is a critical need in the post-acute health continuum of care. Launching a service line that receives only 14 cents on the dollar in reimbursement was a challenge, but she met the obstacles head on as she drove toward the vision of bringing Palliative care to our community. We will miss her, but she leaves Our Hospice and Palliative Care in a great position for the future and we wish her well in her retirement.”
For the complete story, see Wednesday’s Republic.
