HPCIC
About Us
Hospice & Palliative Care of Iredell County (HPCIC) is a community-based non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. We provide hospice care, palliative care, as well as adult and children’s grief support for patients, families, and the community.
We believe that every person deserves compassion, comfort, dignity, and the highest quality of end-of-life care. Most HPCIC services are covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and many private insurance plans; however, we never turn anyone away based on their ability to pay.
Our Mission
The mission of Hospice & Palliative Care of Iredell County is to honor life by providing extraordinary care with compassion, comfort and dignity to our patients, families and community.Our Vision
Our focus remains steadfastly on serving our community as the most respected and trusted experts in palliative and hospice care.Our Values
All employees and volunteers of Hospice & Palliative Care of Iredell County are committed to serving our patients and their loved ones in accordance with our core values.
- Compassion: Patients and families come first. Our role is to honor their wishes in helping them achieve the best possible quality of life.
- Respect: We provide our patients with the care we would desire for ourselves and our loved ones.
- Integrity: Our professionals and volunteers honor their word and take responsibility for fulfilling our mission.
- Teamwork: Our caregiving team – physicians, nurses, social workers, bereavement counselors, chaplains and volunteers –work collaboratively to offer physical, psychosocial, emotional and spiritual support.
- Excellence: Those we serve can always expect to receive the highest standard of care.
- Safety: Our organization ensures and nurtures a culture that is committed to safety.
Leadership
President/CEO: Mike Smith, MBA, LSSBB
Mike Smith joined Hospice & Palliative Care of Iredell County in January of 2022 as President/CEO after serving as Chief Financial Officer at Hospice of the Piedmont in Charlottesville, Virginia. Mike is a North Carolina native and received his undergraduate degree from Appalachian State University and his MBA from Charleston Southern University in Charleston, South Carolina. He is a certified healthcare financial professional and a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.
Mike is a member of the Statesville Rotary and serves on several local and state boards.
Mike resides in Statesville with his family.
Chief Medical Officer: Erin Carnes, MD, HMDC
Dr. Erin Carnes joined Hospice & Palliative Care of Iredell County in October of 2019. She is a 2004 graduate of Wofford College and attended medical school at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. She completed her residency at Wake Forest Baptist Health and is board certified in Emergency Medicine. She received her Hospice Medical Director Certification (HMDC) in 2020.
Dr. Carnes joined Hospice & Palliative Care of Iredell County with several years of hospice and palliative care experience in both the home and inpatient settings. She is committed to providing the highest quality end of life care to her patients and their families.
Dr. Carnes currently resides in Davidson, NC with her family.
Chief Clinical Officer: Dana Bell, MHA, BSN, RN, NEA-BC, CHPN
Dana Bell serves as Chief Clinical Officer for Hospice & Palliative Care of Iredell County, where she oversees all clinical operations, inpatient units, outreach services, and strategic initiatives. Since joining the organization in 2014 as Director of the Gordon Hospice House, she has focused on supporting clinical teams, improving patient and family experiences, and ensuring the delivery of high-quality hospice and palliative care throughout the community. She was named Chief Clinical Officer in 2020.
With more than 30 years of healthcare experience, including nearly two decades in leadership roles, Dana brings a proven track record of building strong teams, improving quality outcomes, and advancing organizational performance. Dana is a certified Nurse Executive (NEA-BC) and holds a Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN) credential.
She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and her Master of Healthcare Administration from Appalachian State University.
Dana is a lifelong resident of Iredell County.
Chief Administrative Officer: Charles Ashe, MBA, CHPCA
Charles Ashe joined Hospice & Palliative Care of Iredell County as Project Manager in 2002, during the initial certificate of need application to build the Gordon Hospice House. After the construction of the hospice house was complete, he moved into the role of Operations Manager then to Director of Operations in 2007. In 2012, he moved into the role of our Chief Operating Officer after completion of his Master's in Business Administration. In the Fall of 2021, Charles absorbed the oversight of Compliance and Quality as the Chief Administrative Officer.
Charles has held a certification as a Hospice & Palliative Care Administrator (CHPCA) since 2017. He is a graduate of Appalachian State University and received his MBA from Champlain College in Burlington, VT.
Originally from Sylva, NC, Charles has lived in Iredell County since 1993. He is active in many civic and service organizations as well as the arts here in Statesville. He now resides in Troutman, NC.
2026 Board of Directors
Officials
- Joshua Self, Chair
- Ray Englebert, Vice Chair
- Brandon Laws, Treasurer
- Brenda A. Burk, Secretary
Members
- Kristie Barazsu
- Pam Britt
- Emily Caviness
- William H. Coffey
- Orian Holland
- Ronald Mack
- Vermel Moore
- Wendy Gordon Pake
- Peter Simon
- Devina Talwar, MD
Advocate Members
- Mahdi Ajjan, MD
- Ralph L. Bentley, MD
- David Green
- Edwin Hunter
- Sara Haire-Tice
- Walter Jones, Jr.
- Carl Robbins
- Richard “Jimbo” Shaver
Annual Reports
Hospice & Palliative Care of Iredell County publishes yearly annual reports for the previous fiscal year (October-September). These reports include statistics from our programs, financial reports, and our financial contributions to the community.
Community Presentations
We offer customized educational presentations for the community at no cost. This can be for civic groups, faith organizations, non-profits, and other community organizations.
Presentation topics include:
- Hospice vs Palliative Care
- End-of-Life Care
- Advanced Care Planning (Living Wills & Health Care Power of Attorney)
- Grief & Loss
For more information: Fill out our contact form and select “Schedule a speaker”, or call 704-873-4719.
Faith-Based Community Resources
Our Faith-Based Outreach program builds meaningful, lasting relationships with local faith communities through occasional phone calls, emails, and quarterly newsletters. This is all available at no cost.
Faith leaders are often the first call families make during a health crisis or after a death. Having a trusted connection to hospice, palliative, and grief resources means faith leaders can offer their congregations real support right when it's needed most, without having to search for answers on their own.
Through this program, faith leaders gain:
- Access to community presentations and educational programming
- Educational materials they can share with their congregation
- Grief and bereavement resources for families navigating the death of a loved one
- Updates on community events, support groups, and volunteer opportunities
- A partner who understands the spiritual and emotional side of end-of-life care, not just the medical side
We believe care for the whole person includes care for the spirit. By walking alongside faith leaders, we help make sure no family in our community has to face illness, death, or grief without the support of both their faith community and ours.
For more information: Fill out our contact form and select “Faith-Based Outreach”, or call 704-873-4719.
Accreditations
Hospice Honors Elite 2026
We’re proud to have received Hospice Honors or Hospice Honors Elite recognition from MatrixCare every year since 2014. This award is based on surveys completed by patient families, covering areas like communication with family, timely help, respectful care, and help for pain and symptoms. Hospice Honors Elite (the highest level) is awarded to hospices that score above the national score on all 24 evaluated questions.
5-Star Medicare.gov Rating
We have maintained the highest-level rating for hospices (5 stars) on Medicare’s Care Compare platform since the inception of the star system in 2022.
ACHC
Accreditation Commission for Health Care: Recognizes that we meet recognized standards for quality and safety based on our policies, processes, and care delivery.