Memorial Hospital Wins Circle of Life Award

A local hospital in Yakima is getting some national kudos after receiving an award for outstanding hospice care.

Yakima Memorial Hospital is one of only three hospitals in the country to receive the Circle of Life award this year. The award goes to hospitals and care centers that have outstanding and comprehensive programs to improve patient care for people with end of life conditions.

Cottage in the Meadow is the care center with Memorial that won this award and provides in-facility care and also serves more than 200 hospice patients in their home. Memorial Foundation President, Anne Caffery, says she never imagined they could win this award.

This is the 15th year for the award given out by the American Hospital Association.

Staff says this center would not have been possible without a lot of support from the community and the endless number of volunteers.

Memorial was honored alongside Baylor Health Care System in Dallas and Lehigh Valley Health Network in Allentown, Pennsylvania for the award.