Board of Directors

As a not-for-profit 501(c)(3), we are required by law to have a Board of Directors. Our bylaws allow a small fraction of the board to include paid employees; however, most of the Board of Directors are local residents who donate their time so that we can continue to provide quality hospice care to the community.

Diane Key Chairman, Diane Sheldon Vice Chair/ President Elect, Debra Wetherald Treasurer, Natalie Kern Secretary, Donna O’Kelly Board Member, Joe Saye Board Member, Jason Batalden Board Member, Cindy Ozaki Board Member, Bill Sewell Board Member, Celeste Eld Executive Director, Lorri Anderson Patient Services Director, Dr. Scott Taylor Medical Director

Corporate Officers

Celeste Eld, Executive Director The executive director is responsible for the management and operation of all hospice program areas and for promoting hospice within the community. Dr. Scott Taylor, Medical Director The Medical Director is responsible for directing and coordinating all medical care of the patients and medically related functions of Hospice of Eastern Idaho. The Medical Director serves as a consultant to the patient’s physician. At the request of the patient or the patient’s own physician, the Medical Director may assume primary care of the patient. Lorri Anderson, Patient Services Director The Patient Service Director is responsible for overseeing all nursing aspects of Hospice of Eastern Idaho. Coordinating the interdisciplinary team to provide care that meets the patient/family goals for quality care is the main responsibility of the Patient Services Director.

Team

Everyone on our staff receives extensive and ongoing training, from our Registered Nurses, to our C.N.A.s and Social workers, as well as our Volunteers. We are serious about providing the best care for your loved one. You and your family don’t have to face a terminal illness alone. We provide full-service Hospice care for your loved one and family with our dedicated team of professionals.

In 2000, Good Samaritan Nursing Home operated the only hospice in Idaho Falls. When a decision was made to close the hospice program, it left Idaho Falls without a hospice. Unerstanding the critical need for hospice services, a small group of former employees decided to form a new hospice. Founders of this new Nonprofit – Hospice of Eastern Idaho – included Marilyn Watts, Ray Barnes, and Chuck Rice. The organization outlasted the many challenges of its early years. Through the support of dedicated staff, energetic volunteers, and generous donors, we continue to provide quality care that goes beyond the medical guidelines set forth by Medicare/Medicaid. Our care improves the lives of people in our community, both patients and families, who are affected by a terminal illness.

Hospice of Eastern Idaho Receives 2019 Customer Experience Award from Pinnacle Quality Insight Idaho Falls, ID May 16, 2019 – Hospice of Eastern Idaho an Idaho Falls, ID – based provider of hospice services, is proud to announce that they are the recipient of Pinnacle Quality Insight’s 2019 Customer Experience AwardTM. Qualifying for the award in the category of Customer Experience, Hospice of Eastern Idaho displays a continued dedication to providing Best in Class senior healthcare services. Celeste Eld, Executive Director of Hospice of Eastern Idaho, describes receiving the award(s) as an honor, stating that “Quality care and services is always the goal for our team. It is so affirming when families report their satisfaction in this regard.” Throughout its 19-year history of serving the community, Hospice of Eastern Idaho has placed a strong emphasis on ensuring that the individual needs of every patient are met. Over the course of 2018, a sampling of Hospice of Eastern Idaho’s customers and their families have participated in monthly telephone interviews that include open-ended questions, as well the opportunity to rate HEI in specific categories. Every month, HEI has gathered its real-time survey results to gain a better understanding of the patient’s needs and make improvements when necessary. By qualifying for the Pinnacle Customer Experience Award™, HEI has satisfied the rigorous demand of scoring in the top 15% of the nation across a 12-month average. Clients have the opportunity to achieve this Best in Class distinction on a monthly basis in many categories designed to accurately reflect each patient’s experience. About Pinnacle Quality Insight A customer satisfaction measurement firm with 23 years of experience in post-acute healthcare, Pinnacle conducts over 150,000 phone surveys each year and works with more than 2,700 care providers in all 50 US states, Canada and Puerto Rico.

We hope you choose Hospice of Eastern Idaho because of the high quality of the care we provide. Here are some examples of things that Hospice patients and their families are saying about Hospice of Eastern Idaho: “To all who helped my Mother, Daughter and me, Your services were priceless. Thank you so much!” — Delores’ Family “Thank you for caring and for all your help at our time of need. We would have been lost without someone like you to take over for us. Thank you.” — Joyce “Thank you for all you did for our Mom. She loved you guys.” — Dave “Words can not truly express our gratitude to all of you for the wonderful care so lovingly given to our Father and continuing care for our Mother. Dad could be difficult and demanding and you always treated him with the utmost kindness and respect. Thanks so much.” — Catherine