The Board of Directors of The Elizabeth Hospice has announced that Sarah McSpadden, RN, MSN, MHA, has been promoted to Chief Executive Officer of The Elizabeth Hospice, the largest, independent hospice provider in San Diego County and Southwest Riverside County. McSpadden replaces Jan Jones, RN, BSN, who has announced her retirement after a 33-year career in the hospice industry.
McSpadden is a healthcare professional with more than 20 years of senior leadership experience in the fields of home health, post-acute medical care, palliative care and hospice care. She joined The Elizabeth Hospice in 2016 as Chief Operating Officer and was promoted to President in 2019. Prior to joining The Elizabeth Hospice, McSpadden served as Chief Compliance Officer at Health Essentials, LLC, where she was instrumental in achieving accreditation for eight hospice programs in three states. Previously, she served as Vice President of Clinical Operations for Silverado Hospice where she oversaw clinical care delivery, end-of-life nursing education, quality and compliance.
McSpadden currently serves on the Board of Directors for the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) and on hospice and regulatory compliance committees at the state and national levels, including the Quality and Standards National Committee at NHPCO and the Education Committee of the California Hospice and Palliative Care Association (CHAPCA).
Born and raised in San Diego, McSpadden is thrilled to be in a position where she can impact the lives of people in her hometown community. “My dad’s experience on hospice service led me to dedicate my career to this healthcare field. I strongly believe that every individual deserves to receive compassionate, skilled end-of-life care and that every family deserves to have the resources and support they need to provide their loved one with a positive experience,” said Sarah.
Jan Jones’ retirement marks the completion of her eight-year tenure as Chief Executive Officer of The Elizabeth Hospice. Her legacy includes establishing The Elizabeth Hospice as a national presence in the hospice industry and leading a smooth transition for many patients and staff following the closure of Scripps Hospice.
“We are grateful to Jan Jones for all that has been accomplished under her leadership and are excited to have Sarah McSpadden assume the role of Chief Executive Officer,” said Mark Neu, Board Chair of The Elizabeth Hospice. “Sarah has the background to help us understand the changes that are taking place in the health care industry and the skills to develop and implement strategies that will ensure our community continues to receive high quality end-of-life care and grief support services.”