VITAS President and CEO Nick Westfall Joins Transitional Board for New Care-At-Home Trade Association
Jan. 31, 2024
MIAMI, FL – President and CEO Nick Westfall of VITAS Healthcare, the nation’s leading provider of end-of-life care, has joined a proposed transitional board of directors that will serve as a guide for a merger between the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) and National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO). Westfall has been a member of the NHPCO board of directors since 2020.
As executive leader of the healthcare provider that offers hospice and palliative care to more than 19,000 patients and families daily in 14 states and the District of Columbia, Westfall is joined by 19 other executives from hospice and palliative care providers and healthcare organizations across the nation. According to a joint release, the transition board will oversee the merger to a new, consolidated organization once both associations’ boards of directors ratify the agreement for the merger, which is scheduled to occur in early 2024.
"As we navigate the evolving landscape of care-at-home services, my vision is rooted in strengthening advocacy and collaboration across the industry,” said Westfall. “By amplifying our focus on member value, industry impact and quality patient outcomes, this board will pave the way for a more cohesive and impactful future. Committed to fostering enhanced collaboration, I believe that, together, we can redefine standards and champion excellence in care-at-home communities."
Ken Albert, proposed Chair of the Transition Board, welcomed Westfall among the experienced veterans of the care-at-home community, “who possess the vision to understand both the opportunity and obligation to build an even stronger future for our sectors of the American healthcare delivery system.”
“I am looking forward to working with Mr. Westfall, whose candidacy for the board was a thoughtful move reflective of his leadership at VITAS Healthcare and the greater care-at-home community,” said Albert. “Nick's industry acumen and commitment to this vital work make him a terrific colleague among the talented directors as we position ourselves to navigate the complexities for managing a new association that intends to exceed the expectations for our members well into the future.”
NAHC and NHPCO announced plans to merge in October 2023 with expectations to combine entities in 2024 and launch a new business strategy in place for 2025.
Since 2012, Westfall has led the field operations of VITAS, becoming its chief operating officer in 2015 and its president and CEO in 2016. In his previous role at Chemed Corporation, the parent company of VITAS, he was director of information, technology and operations. Prior to joining Chemed, he was a senior manager for Deloitte.
VITAS has served over 12% more patients during Westfall’s tenure. A multi-year reinvestment strategy focused on sustainable growth, he has led the company's mobile healthcare technology initiative, and has also been a leader during times of crisis. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Texas and Florida hurricanes and California wildfires, emergency preparedness strategies were necessary to ensure employee safety and that hospice patients and their families received 24-hour care.
As an industry leader, Westfall serves on the advisory board of the University of Miami Business School's programs in health management and policy. In 2018, he received a CEO Today Healthcare Award.