The Monroe County Hospice House in East Stroudsburg reopened for inpatient care a year ago in September 2019, thanks to a community group that recommended reopening the house by making a three-year commitment to raising $350,000 a year for three years to support the house’s continued operation.

On Tuesday, the group was recognized for not only achieving its yearly $350,000 goal through the Hospice House - Today, Tomorrow & Always campaign, but for raising the entire $1 million goal in only a year and a half.

“On behalf of Lehigh Valley Health Network and Lehigh Valley Hospital-Pocono I want to commend those who took the lead on this project to achieve this fundraising goal in half the anticipated time, as well as those in the community who supported the effort,” said Elizabeth Wise, president of LVH-Pocono.

Mark Primrose, who chaired the community group, said there is more to be done to ensure future operation of the Monroe County Hospice House, located at 412 E. Brown St. in East Stroudsburg.

“Since the short-term fundraising goal has been met, LVH–Pocono and the community will continue to work together to address financial challenges and grow the overall hospice program to achieve long-term sustainability while honoring the legacy of the Hospice House and its vital role in Monroe County,” he said.

In addition to the efforts of the Monroe County Hospice House community group, an endowment has been established at the Pocono Foundation with a significant gift from Herb Rosen in memory of his late wife, Sylvia, called the Sylvia Rosen Memorial Hospice House Endowment. The endowment will further ensure the future sustainability of Monroe County Hospice House for years to come. Community members interested in supporting the endowment may contact the Pocono Foundation.

Wise said as part of the joint effort with the community to continue to grow the hospice program, which now cares for 20-25 patients a day both inpatient and outpatient, LVH–Pocono has added a full-time hospice nurse practitioner. In addition, the hospice service including Hospice House has implemented the Epic medical records system which offers caregivers detailed access to patient information and other resources so they can best manage their patients’ care.

“Although most patients choose to remain in their homes when receiving hospice services, there are times when the disease progression makes it no longer feasible for care to be provided in any other setting than an inpatient facility,” Wise said. “If that need arises, our dedicated Hospice House will ensure that we can continue to provide physical, social, spiritual and emotional care for patients and their families during the last stages of life.”

Primrose’s mother was a Hospice House patient and he said, “I am grateful that when we could no longer provide care for my mother, Hospice House was there for her. This allows patients and families to visit and spend time with their loved ones in a peaceful and caring surrounding.”

Online donations for the Monroe County Hospice House and the LVH–Pocono hospice program can be made by visiting give.lvhn.org/pocono, or you can mail a check, payable to LVHN–Pocono Foundation, to 206 E. Brown St. East Stroudsburg, PA. Please indicate “Hospice House Endowment” on the memo line. For more information about how you can help with fundraising, call 570-476-3530.