Caris Healthcare Acquires South Carolina-Based Solaris Hospice

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. and COLUMBIA, S.C., Jan. 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Effective Jan. 1, 2012, Knoxville-based Caris Healthcare completed the purchase of Solaris Hospice, a South Carolina provider of outpatient hospice services. With this acquisition, Caris increased its staff by nearly 40 percent, from 400 employees to 550 employees across Tennessee and South Carolina. Caris also added eight South Carolina offices to its 16 Tennessee locations and one Virginia location for a total of 25 offices offering statewide "coverage with compassion" in both Tennessee and South Carolina. Hospice care in any of the three states is accessible 24 hours per day toll-free at 1.800.Hospice, 365 days a year.

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"Caris has been providing world-class high-touch hospice services to families across Tennessee since 2003," said Norman McRae, founder and CEO. "We're honored to be able to offer the same level of compassionate care throughout South Carolina."

Total annual revenue for Caris is $67 million, which increases to $81.2 million with the Solaris acquisition. Caris won the Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence (TNCPE) award for excellence in 2008 and was one of only seven healthcare companies in America to receive a National Quality Baldrige site visit in 2010.

For two consecutive years, Caris has exceeded national scores in key performance indicators for symptom management of pain, nausea, dyspnea and anxiety by an average of 43 percent according to Strategic Healthcare Programs, LLC. Caris plans to bring this same exceptional performance in the hospice care category to patients and families in Solaris' South Carolina footprint.

Caris believes in providing compassionate care to each and every patient it serves. Since Caris was founded in 2003 as a partnership between the McRae family and National HealthCare Corporation, it has touched more than 19,000 lives. This service has been possible because of Caris' strong commitment to its patients and families and to its healthcare partners.

MEDIA CONTACT: Laura Bower, APR
[email protected]/ 865.524.5376

SOURCE Caris Healthcare