Blue Ridge Hospice and Laurel Ridge Community College Announce Partnership To Strengthen Local Healthcare Workforce

Contact Laurel Ridge Community College:

Sally Voth

540-868-7134

svoth@laurelridge.edu

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact Blue Ridge Hospice:                             

Kim Golanski                                                                           

(540) 617-2754                                                         

kgolanski@blueridgehospice.org                                      

Blue Ridge Hospice and Laurel Ridge Community College Announce Partnership To Strengthen Local Healthcare Workforce

Winchester, VA, February 4, 2025 – Blue Ridge Care Hospice, the leading provider of aging care in the region, is pleased to announce a new partnership with Laurel Ridge Community College through a clinical affiliation agreement. This collaboration is designed to provide valuable clinical experience for students enrolled in the College’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Nursing Programs, ensuring a more skilled healthcare workforce for the future.
 

The partnership will allow students to gain hands-on clinical experience under the supervision of Blue Ridge Hospice, providing a meaningful learning opportunity that directly benefits both organizations and the community. Through this initiative, students will have access to Blue Ridge Hospice’s Inpatient Care Center and expert clinical team, while Blue Ridge Hospice will benefit from fostering the development of future healthcare professionals within hospice care.
 

“By partnering with Laurel Ridge Community College, we are investing in the future of healthcare in our region. As a caregiver teaching organization, Blue Ridge Hospice is committed to ensuring the highest quality of care and experience for our patients, families, and caregivers. This agreement will not only enhance the educational experience for students but strengthen our ability to provide exceptional care. We are excited to collaborate to cultivate the next generation of healthcare professionals, who will play a key role in meeting the growing healthcare needs of our community,” said Altonia Garrett, Chief Operating Officer of Blue Ridge Hospice.
 

The agreement, effective January 1, 2025, will support Blue Ridge Hospice’s mission to provide high quality and compassionate patient care while simultaneously enriching the educational experiences of Laurel Ridge Community College’s nursing and EMS students. This collaboration also reflects the shared commitment of both organizations to advance healthcare education and meet the community’s needs for care, demonstrating how, as a community we come together to care for our neighbors.
 

“The collaboration with Blue Ridge Hospice is an incredible opportunity for our students. This agreement allows us to provide our students with practical, real-world experience that is crucial for their professional development. It also strengthens the bond between our college and our local experts in aging care, ultimately benefiting the entire community by ensuring we have highly trained professionals ready to provide exceptional care,” said Scott Vanderkooi, Dean of Health Professions at Laurel Ridge Community College.

About Blue Ridge Hospice

Blue Ridge Hospice is a community-based, not-for-profit serious illness and end-of-life care provider that has been serving friends and neighbors across the northern Shenandoah Valley and northwestern Virginia since 1981. With a mission of “brightening life’s journey with quality and compassionate care for all whom we are privileged to serve,” Blue Ridge Hospice serves Winchester City and the counties of Clarke, Fauquier, Frederick, Loudoun, Page, Rappahannock, Shenandoah, and Warren. Accredited by The Joint Commission, Blue Ridge Hospice consistently exceeds the national averages for quality as reported on Medicare’s Hospice Compare website. To learn more about Blue Ridge Hospice visit brhospice.org, or call 540-313-9200.

About Laurel Ridge Community College

Laurel Ridge Community College’s mission is to provide a positive, caring and dynamic learning environment that inspires student success, values diversity and promotes community vitality. The college offers more than 75 associate degree and certificate programs, and more than 40 fast-track career training programs. Learn more by visiting laurelridge.edu, or calling 800-906-5322.