Scripps Purchases Former San Diego Hospice Hospital

Note to Patients: The following news is posted for archival purposes only. Scripps is no longer accepting new patients for hospice care.

Scripps Health purchased the former San Diego Hospice hospital and eight-acre property in Hillcrest today for $16.55 million, by offering the highest bid in an auction in federal bankruptcy court downtown. Scripps will use the facility for in-patient hospice care.

“We are very pleased to have this facility, which was designed and built specifically for hospice patients so that we can further expand our hospice program,” said Chris Van Gorder, president and CEO of Scripps Health. “This unique facility and property are ideal for end-of-life care and will allow us the opportunity to serve our patients and the community for years to come. We intend to honor those who received care there and those who have given so generously to support this location over the years.”

Scripps launched its hospice program in February in order to provide options for the hundreds of patients annually that had been referred to San Diego Hospice from Scripps hospitals and physicians.

“When I walked this campus several months ago, I was struck by the memorials to the patients who have received care on this site,” Van Gorder said. “Scripps felt strongly that this facility needed to be preserved for the community. Just as we honor the legacy of our founders Ellen Browning Scripps and Mother Mary Michael Cummings, we want to sustain the legacy of Dr. Doris Howell who founded San Diego Hospice and Joan Kroc, who gave so generously to establish this campus.”

Scripps has well-established capabilities for in-home care, having provided quality home health care services to San Diego for more than 25 years. Last year, Scripps Home Health provided more than 65,000 home visits to patients throughout San Diego County. In addition, Scripps’ highly regarded palliative care program provides pain management, emotional, psychosocial and spiritual care to patients facing life-limiting illness.

Learn more about Scripps Health, a nonprofit integrated health system in San Diego, Calif.