PRX Releases

James M. Sprouse, III, executive director of Pennyroyal Hospice, was elected president of the Kentucky Association of Hospice and Palliative Care (KAHPC) at its December 7, 2007 meeting in Lexington, Ky.

KAHPC is the state association for hospices in Kentucky. Sprouse will serve a two year term beginning in January 2008.

As KAHPC president, Sprouse will represent Kentucky hospices at national meetings in Washington, D.C. and Florida and coordinate the activities of hospices throughout the state. He also will preside over the association’s bimonthly meetings.  Sprouse replaces Jeanne Travis, BSN, RN, executive director of Hospice of Lake Cumberland located in Somerset, Ky.

"I am truly honored to be given the opportunity to represent the hospice industry in the Commonwealth of Kentucky," said Sprouse.

And I look forward to working closely with our legislators on issues that impact hospices and our patients," he continued.

Sprouse, a certified health executive (CHE), became the executive director of Pennyroyal Hospice in November 2004.  He came to hospice with over 25 years experience as a senior executive in the health care field. He received a master’s degree in Health Care Administration from Ohio State University in 1977, and immediately accepted a position as an assistant administrator in a 330-bed hospital in Wisconsin. He subsequently served as a hospital administrator at facilities in Eastern Kentucky, Saudi Arabia and Pennsylvania. He also spent five years as the CEO of a health care consulting firm and was on the original Kentucky Association of Hospices Board. Most recently, Sprouse spent almost ten years teaching health care management to both graduate and undergraduate students for Southern Illinois, Murray State, and Central Illinois Universities.  He currently lives in Benton, Ky.

Pennyroyal Hospice is celebrating 25 years of service to the five Kentucky counties of Caldwell, Christian, Lyon, Todd and Trigg.  A non-profit organization, it provides medical care to patients dying from a life-limiting illness by offering managed end-of-life care by a compassionate hospice medical team.