Bill Wertman, CEO, Big Bend Hospice
At Big Bend Hospice, we are proud to serve Tallahassee, but Tallahassee is not the whole story. Not even close.
For over 40 years, we have cared for patients and families across the Big Bend region, including all eight counties we serve: Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Taylor, and Wakulla.
Our promise of care is not limited by geography. From farmlands to coastal communities, our care reaches into every corner of the Big Bend. If a patient needs us, we go. Because care doesn’t stop where the pavement ends.
This is what it means to be locally owned and operated. Our nurses, chaplains, social workers, and volunteers often live in the same communities they serve. Our value is not measured by numbers or volume. It is measured by presence, empathy, and trust.
We are not guided by corporate policies or shareholder priorities. We are driven by compassion and by the belief that every person deserves to live and die with dignity, regardless of where they live or what resources they have access to.
Earlier this year, we officially launched the Seven Oaks Mobile Medical Unit, a new way we’re bringing help to the doorsteps of families who might otherwise go without. It travels throughout the Big Bend, offering palliative care services and end-of-life care. Under the umbrella of our parent organization, Seven Oaks Health, this unit reflects what we believe at our core: that care should meet people where they are, and that no one should feel forgotten just because they live off the beaten path.
Outside of our headquarters in Tallahassee, Big Bend Hospice operates six field offices throughout our service area, so that our staff is positioned where patients need us most. These offices allow us to respond quickly, connect with families personally, and remain rooted in the daily life of our communities.
Our mission is simple. We go beyond hospice. Serious illness does not follow a map, and neither does grief. Our care begins earlier, surrounds families deeper, and stays longer than many expect.