Susan Houseman appointed president/CEO of Harbor Hospice and Harbor Palliative Care
Muskegon, Michigan, June 23rd, 2020 – Members of the Harbor Hospice Board of Directors have appointed Muskegon resident Susan Houseman, RN, BSN, NHA, as the organization’s new president and chief executive officer. Houseman has been serving as interim president and CEO for four months and is moving seamlessly into her new role.
“We are extremely pleased to have Susan accept the position of president and CEO of Harbor Hospice and the Harbor Hospice Foundation,” said Heather Brolick, chair of the board of directors. “Susan’s extensive leadership and management experience, combined with her clinical expertise and commitment to providing exceptional care in the communities we serve, are key factors in her selection for the position.”
Houseman has been director of Clinical Services for Harbor Hospice since September 2017 and played a key role in the organization’s receipt of the 2020 Hospice Honors Award given by Healthcare First. The award is based on satisfaction surveys completed by families of hospice patients all over the country. It recognizes hospice organizations that provide the highest quality care to men and women coming to the end of their life along with support to patients’ family members and friends.
“It is an honor to serve as president and CEO of Harbor Hospice and Palliative Care alongside our dedicated volunteers and staff,” says Houseman, who has worked for two decades in nursing care and health care management. “I am passionate about our mission to provide expert care with comfort and support for patients experiencing serious illness and supporting the family and friends who surround them as well. I am grateful for the opportunity to lead this amazing organization in the community of West Michigan that I call home.”
Houseman received her bachelor of science in nursing at Eastern Michigan University. Her minor was in gerontology, and she was a Presidential Scholar for four years. She is also licensed as a Michigan Nursing Home Administrator.
Harbor Hospice served its first patient in 1983. Today over 100 staff provide hospice and palliative care to nearly 1,400 patients every year in homes and residential facilities in five counties in West Michigan and at the organization’s 14-bed Poppen Hospice Residence in Muskegon. Almost 100 volunteers provide services ranging from helping patients with errands to providing respite care and spiritual and grief support.
Headquarters for its administrative offices are in Muskegon.