(KNZA)--Holton Community Hospital has announced plans to close its Home Health and Hospice Department, effective December 31st.

The hospital made the announcement in a release Friday. You can find the full release below:

It is with great sadness that Holton Community Hospital (HCH) announces the closure of its award-winning Home Health & Hospice department, effective December 31, 2024. This difficult decision was made by the HCH Board of Directors after many years of subsidizing the service to keep it available for our community.

The healthcare industry has faced significant changes in recent years, particularly in payment models for Home Health services and the expansion of Medicare replacement plans. Additionally, the growing number of competing agencies in our area has led to unsustainable financial challenges for our Home Health & Hospice department.

As part of our commitment to our patients and community, communication plans are underway to ensure that all Friends of Hospice, patients, medical referral sources, vendors, and community members are informed of this change. We will no longer be accepting new Hospice patients. Patients needing admission for home health services will be admitted on a case-by-case basis. HCH is working to collaborate with one of the many Home Health and Hospice agencies that provide care in Jackson County to ensure services continue to be offered.

We deeply value the dedication and compassion our Home Health & Hospice team has shown over the years and are working closely with each staff member to explore alternative opportunities within our hospital where their passion and expertise can continue to serve our mission of providing exceptional healthcare to our community.

We understand this is difficult news for our community and staff. Holton Community Hospital remains committed to its mission of delivering professional, compassionate, and excellent healthcare, even in the face of these challenging times.