About Pathways
About Pathways
Founded in 1977 by a group of Stanford physicians and community members, Pathways is a Bay Area pioneer, leader and innovator in Hospice and Home Health. We can provide care at home or in settings such as assisted living, a nursing home, or the hospital.
We have offices in Sunnyvale, South San Francisco, and Oakland. Patients and their families know us for our personalized, high quality care, delivered with empathy, kindness, and respect. Our professional relationships say a lot:
- Pathways is proudly celebrating over 40 years serving this community!
- Pathways has been affiliated with El Camino Hospital and Sequoia Hospital/Dignity Health for over 30 years—since 1986
Our Mission
Pathways provides high-quality, patient and family-centered care in the home, with kindness and respect, promoting comfort, independence, and dignity.
Ethics and Compliance
Pathways is diligent about complying with state and federal laws and follows a rigorous code of ethics regarding patient rights and employee conduct. We honor the dignity, privacy, and autonomy of every patient. We screen our employees and our business partners thoroughly. We insist that the businesses we work with (such as medical equipment providers) advise us of any suspected violations of our standards. Pathways encourages anyone who suspects fraud, financial abuse, poor quality care, or ethical violations to immediately report possible infractions.
Non-Profit Status
As a non-profit, Pathways does not have to turn over profits to shareholders or to a private owner. We can reinvest our profits in patient care and provide extra services. Including care for the un- and under-insured
History
Pathways has been changing with the times since our inception in 1977, always remaining true to the vision of our founders. A group of Stanford physicians and community members started MidPeninsula Health Services in downtown Palo Alto to fill the need for healthcare at home. The goal was to give terminally ill patients the option of staying at home through the conclusion of their lives. Here are some milestones:
- In 1978 the organization (by then called Mid Peninsula HomeCare) became a Medicare certified home health agency.
- In 1986 MidPeninsula became affiliated with El Camino Hospital and Sequoia Hospital.
- In 1991 MidPeninsula Hospice Foundation was established to raise funds for hospice programs and un- and underinsured patients.
- In 1998 we expanded into San Francisco and shortly after acquired Vesper/Pathways Hospice in San Leandro, allowing us to serve patients in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties.
- The name Mid-Peninsula no longer matched the geographic area we served, so in 2002 we became Pathways Home Health & Hospice.
- We purchased our current Sunnyvale headquarters in 2005.
- In 2016 Pathways entered into a partnership with Stanford HealthCare. A Pathways clinical team provides Inpatient Hospice Services to Stanford patients who need care that is too complex to provide at home. Working with Stanford staff, Pathways gives Stanford patients this care until they are able to transition home.
- In 2016 Pathways implemented a new electronic health record system (EHR) named EPIC .
