Residents of Dallas’ southern sector will soon have improved access to hospice through VITAS Healthcare’s Inpatient Hospice Unit (IPU) at Methodist Dallas Medical Center, located at 1441 North Beckley Avenue in Dallas. VITAS, the nation's leading provider of end-of-life care, hosted its ribbon cutting ceremony for the IPU on Wednesday, February 6, 2019.

The Dallas IPU enables VITAS to provide care for hospice patients whose symptoms have become unmanageable in their home setting while adhering to the patient’s wishes for compassionate end-of-life care. VITAS is a pioneer in the development of hospice and palliative care to improve the quality of life near the end of life for patients and their families. The unit is expected to begin accepting referrals by the end of the month.

“Patients and families in the Dallas/Fort Worth southern sector will benefit greatly by having access to the specialized level of hospice care provided in this state-of-the-art unit,” said Marilyn Conley, general manager of VITAS Healthcare of Dallas. “Our team looks forward to providing the unique hospice and palliative care our patients deserve in a setting that has all the comforts of home.”

The 13,000-square-foot IPU is a $2.8 million renovation on the fifth floor of Schenkel Tower at Methodist Dallas Medical Center. Expected to serve more than 800 patients each year, VITAS expects to begin accepting hospice-appropriate patients at the IPU later this month.

The IPU has 16 private patient rooms and offers comfort-focused amenities, including two spacious family areas, a kitchen, a children’s room and overnight accommodations for family members. It is also equipped with support spaces where interdisciplinary teams of physicians, nurses, social workers, chaplains, volunteers and bereavement support staff members can attend to the medical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of patients and their families.

“By providing compassionate, end-of-life solutions, hospice plays a critically important role in extending the continuum of care to patients with advanced, life-limiting illnesses,” said John Phillips, president of Methodist Dallas Medical Center. “We are proud to have this level of care available to patients and families not only in Dallas, but across the DFW area as well. We are equally proud that VITAS has chosen Methodist Dallas as its location to provide this vital service.”

IPU patients benefit from the VITAS care model, marked by daily visits from a hospice physician and 24/7 care provided by the VITAS interdisciplinary team. VITAS offers a wide range of integrated services that enhance the quality of life for patients and families, including massage therapy, music therapy, pet visits, a veterans’ program and Memory Bears, as well as access to a full-time child life specialist and full-time respiratory therapist.

The VITAS IPU at Methodist Dallas Medical Center is the company’s third inpatient unit in the Dallas/Fort Worth market. The other facilities are at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in Carrollton and at Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center in Fort Worth.