BJC HealthCare plans to open the first dedicated hospice house in the city of St. Louis, expanding end-of-life services as national data show Black Americans remain substantially less likely than White Americans to receive hospice care.
The 12-bed facility, expected to open in 2028 on the Barnes-Jewish Hospital campus, comes as BJC reports that the number of patients receiving inpatient hospice care in its hospitals has doubled over the past five years. The strongest growth has been at Barnes-Jewish and Christian hospitals.
The expansion will bring specialized hospice care closer to families in St. Louis, where Black residents account for more than 40% of the population.
Nick Barto, president and CEO of BJC Health, said the new facility will provide patients with a setting designed specifically for end-of-life care.
“It will give patients a dedicated hospice environment closer to where they live, allowing more families to remain close to one another at a time when every moment matters,” Barto said.
National statistics point to a persistent racial divide in who receives hospice care. Among Medicare beneficiaries who died in 2024, 40.5% of Black patients had received hospice care, compared with 55.8% of White patients, according to the National Alliance for Care at Home. Comparable figures for St. Louis were not available.
The new facility, Evelyn’s House at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, will be built at 4520 Clayton Ave., on the site of the former Barnes Lodge. Construction is expected to begin in 2027, supported by nearly $20 million in donations through The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital.
The project builds on the original Evelyn’s House, a 16-bed hospice facility that opened in 2017 on the campus of Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital in Creve Coeur.
Most hospice patients receive care at home, but some need inpatient treatment when pain or other symptoms become too difficult to manage there. The new building will include family gathering spaces, lounges, dining areas and gardens.
Dr. Patrick White, chief medical officer of BJC Home Care and director of the Division of Palliative Medicine at WashU Medicine, said the expansion reflects growing demand for hospice services.
“More families are seeking hospice care that provides comfort, dignity, and expert support during life’s final chapter,” White said.
BJC’s announcement did not include a racial breakdown of its hospice patients or referrals. Such information could help show whether Black patients are receiving hospice care at rates comparable to White patients and whether the new facility will address barriers to access