11° and Clear
Image
HopeHealth Hulitar Hospice Center (photo credit: HopeHealth)
Rhode Island's HopeHealth, an early pioneer in hospice care and a leading nonprofit provider of hospice and palliative care in New England, marks its 50th anniversary this year.
Founded in 1976 as Hospice Care of Rhode Island, HopeHealth was created by a group of physicians, chaplains, educators, and community advocates who believed patients and families deserved compassionate, dignified support at the end of life. At the time, hospice care was just beginning to emerge in the United States. HopeHealth became the second hospice provider in the nation. [Underscoring the region's leadership, the first in the US, was Connecticut Hospice, located in Branford, CT, opened in 1974. -- Ed.]
In the five decades since, HopeHealth has grown from a single community-based program into a regional nonprofit organization serving Rhode Island and Massachusetts. In addition to hospice care, it provides palliative care for patients and families living with serious illness; specialized care for dementia; support and education for family caregivers; and numerous grief support programs.
HopeHealth’s experts are embedded in hospitals and medical clinics throughout the region, and its hospice services reach patients wherever they call home — including private residences, assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and HopeHealth’s inpatient Hulitar Hospice Center — supported by a robust volunteer program. HopeHealth also leads clinical education for health care professionals and serves as a major teaching affiliate for medical students at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.
“Our founders were visionaries: When they created HopeHealth, they created a type of health care that did not yet exist in our communities,” said Diana Franchitto, president & CEO of HopeHealth. “Today, that impact is felt one family at a time, and across the broader health care landscape. We have walked beside individuals and families during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives, and we have helped shape the evolution of hospice and palliative care across the country. It is an honor to carry this mission forward.”
Today, HopeHealth is one of the largest nonprofit hospice and palliative care providers in New England. In 2024, it ranked second among the nation’s 50 largest hospices for caregiver and employee satisfaction.
“As a nonprofit, HopeHealth measures success by how well we serve our communities — the families who live here, the health care professionals who work here, the medical students who study here, and beyond,” says Vince Mor, chair of the HopeHealth board of directors. “Over the past 50 years, this organization has always grown and evolved based on what’s best for the community. That commitment will continue to define HopeHealth in the decades to come.”
Throughout 2026, HopeHealth will commemorate its 50th anniversary with community events across Rhode Island and Massachusetts, reflections from families and care teams, and stories highlighting the organization’s history and impact. A celebratory anniversary gala will be held May 21, 2026, at WaterFire Arts Center in Providence, Rhode Island. Additional information about the organization’s history is available at HopeHealthCo.org/History.
HopeHealth is one of New England’s largest and most respected nonprofit hospice and palliative care providers, nationally recognized for exceptional standards in serious illness care. For 50 years, we have supported patients and families throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island with extensive patient-focused services that offer comfort, respect and the highest quality care. In addition to hospice and palliative care services, we provide specialized care for dementia, support programs for caregivers and grief support. As a major teaching affiliate of the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, we help shape the future of hospice and palliative care.
