Contact: Heidi Clemmer, Director of Marketing
Phone: 866.466.9734 ext 889
Email: hclemmer@fourseasonscfl.org
March 12, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Four Seasons Hospice is applying for the Certificate of Need (CON) in McDowell County. As a nonprofit organization, Four Seasons provides hospice care to patients wherever they call home in McDowell County.
Four Seasons has been successfully providing hospice services in western North Carolina since 1979 and while they currently provide hospice home care in McDowell County, they do not have a CON and therefore are not currently permitted to have an office to serve patients and families in the county.
A CON is a state-level regulatory tool that requires healthcare providers to obtain approval from a state agency before building new facilities, expanding services, or purchasing major medical equipment. Receiving the CON in McDowell County would allow Four Seasons to have an office there, which would enhance access to hospice services and expand their ability to provide additional services.
“With the ability to have a licensed hospice home care office, we would be able to expand and provide enhanced services at a local accessible office where we could serve the community with additional Hospice Services, Caregiver Support, increase our Community Grief Services, establish a Palliative Care clinic, and would provide more support for Pediatric Hospice and Palliative Care, as well as provide the opportunity for further training and development of our McDowell County teams,” said Four Seasons President and CEO Dr. Millicent Burke-Sinclair, Ed.D, MBA, MLAS, SPHR®, SHRMSCP.
Four Seasons currently holds the CONs for Henderson and Macon Counties and is authorized to provide hospice care in 14 counties of Western North Carolina. Community members can voice their support for expanding Four Seasons’ high quality care through the addition of a hospice home care office by visiting fourseasonscare.org/mcdowell-support.
“We pride ourselves on caring for patients and their families with excellence in all our regions. Providing quality care requires the ability to respond to needs quickly, which can be more challenging when our clinicians do not have a physical location to collaborate in. Access to necessary supplies and equipment would be more accessible at a local office, especially at night or during weekends. This would enable our clinical staff to meet patient needs more efficiently and effectively, caring for community members with the quality we want to deliver.” says Chief Clinical Operations Officer Rikki Hooper MBA, MSN, FNP-BC, ACHPN, NE-BC, FPCN.
Aspects of Care in McDowell County
- Four Seasons was the first hospice in the North Carolina mountains, started in 1979 by the community, for the community and was the third hospice established in NC.
- Care provided by the Four Seasons Hospice Care Team supports the whole person, providing not only comfort care that addresses symptoms, but also providing emotional and spiritual support for the patient and family.
- Levels of care provided include: Routine In-Home Hospice Care (appropriate for most patients), Continuous In-Home Hospice Care, In-Patient Care at our Elizabeth House or at a contracted facility closer to your home, and Respite Care, designed to give caregivers a break.
- We provide additional supportive services including Provider-led Palliative Care, Aging in Place Services, Grief Services, and Caregiver Support.
- Four Seasons is one of the pioneers in Palliative Care in North Carolina, opening one of the first Palliative Care programs, and continues to have one of the largest programs in the country.
- Because Four Seasons is a nonprofit, our Four Seasons Foundation provides support for those who need it, ensuring care is available for everyone who is eligible, regardless of the ability to pay.
- Four Seasons is accredited by the Joint Commission and was awarded Hospice Honors, which is based on patient/family satisfaction survey scores.
- Modern Healthcare named Four Seasons one of the top 25 Best Places to Work for the past three years.
Visit Our McDowell County Page for more information on the services we provide: fourseasonscare.org/mcdowell-county
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About Four Seasons, The Care You Trust
Four Seasons, The Care You Trust is a nonprofit Hospice and Palliative Care organization, providing trusted care to western North Carolina since 1979. In addition to Hospice and Palliative Care, Four Seasons also offers Care Navigation, Home Care (in some regions), Grief Services, and support for the caregiver and family. Four Seasons is honored to provide care to fourteen counties including Buncombe, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain and Transylvania. The generous community support through Four Seasons Foundation and Hospice Home Stores, allows Four Seasons to ensure the mission and vision or the organization, providing care to everyone, including those in need. For more information, call 866.466.9734 or visit FourSeasonsCare.org.
