- 8515 Lockheed Drive, El Paso TX 79925
- (915) 532-5699
Hospice El Paso began its noble journey in 1978 when a group of dedicated citizens came together with a shared vision: to ensure that terminally ill patients could spend their remaining days in a pain-free, loving environment. They believed that Hospice was not just a program but a holistic concept focused on helping patients and their families live to their fullest potential.
This vision was realized through the integration of skilled professional care, dedicated social work services, compassionate volunteer support, and specialized bereavement resources for families navigating profound loss.
In 1978, the first community meeting was held at the Cancer Treatment Center, attended by thirty-three concerned El Pasoans. This meeting marked the beginning of a journey toward establishing a hospice care service in El Paso.
A steering committee of sixteen was formed in 1979 to pursue the creation of hospice care and services. By February 13, 1980, an organizational meeting was held, leading to the incorporation of Hospice of El Paso. The first office was established at the Cancer Treatment Center in 1981, later moving to 1900 North Oregon. Staff were hired, and volunteer training began. In June of that year, Hospice of El Paso, Inc. received its nonprofit exemption status from the IRS as a 501(c)(3) organization.
From March 8 to December 31, 1982, Hospice of El Paso admitted 43 patients. By 1983, it became a charter member of the Texas Hospice Organization and held its first fundraising dinner. In 1985, the hospice experienced its first full year as a Medicare-certified program, with an average daily census of 16 patients.
Hospice of El Paso began accepting non-cancer patients in 1987, establishing a contract with Thomason and the Texas Tech family practice residency training program. By 1988, the staff had grown to 23 full-time employees. In 1989, Hospice of El Paso was accepted into United Way. The organization held its first educational symposium in palliative care in 1993 and created its own in-house pharmacy in 1995. In 1996, Hospice of El Paso became the first free-standing hospice in Texas to achieve accreditation from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).
By 2004, despite competition from four out-of-town for-profit corporations, Hospice of El Paso cared for its 10,000th patient. In 2008, the organization finally secured its first permanent location at 1440 Miracle Way after moving eight times. The Pediatric Palliative Care program was launched in 2010.
In 2011, Hospice of El Paso opened the Center for Compassionate Care, the city’s first stand-alone acute-care inpatient hospice facility. In 2013, the organization signed a contract with University Medical Center to provide hospice care to unfunded patients and with Texas Tech Paul L. Foster School of Medicine to integrate hospice rotations into the medical curriculum. Hospice of El Paso also hired the city's first in-house hospice physician. By 2022, the pediatric hospice and palliative care program was formalized as the Butterfly Program, addressing the unique needs of pediatric patients and their families.
In 2023, Palliative Care of El Paso opened, further expanding the organization's reach and services. In 2024, the Center for Compassionate Care reopened in a newly remodeled location, marking the beginning of a new chapter in Hospice of El Paso’s history. Through these years, Hospice of El Paso has remained steadfast in its mission, continually evolving to meet the needs of its patients and their families, embodying a legacy of compassionate care and community support.
Hospice El Paso is proud to be the first hospice in El Paso, and the only nonprofit hospice in our region We are dedicated to providing the highest-quality care to our patients and understand that every patient has unique needs.
