HopeWest welcomes Dr. Ellissa Tiller, MD, FAAHPM, CPE, as Vice President of Medical Affairs to spearhead innovation within each program, enhance patient care, and increase hospice and palliative education in the community.

Dr. Tiller joins HopeWest with a strong background in healthcare and hospice fields of work. Most recently Dr. Tiller established the Sentara RMH Palliative Care Program in Harrisonburg, VA and served as Medical Director for both the Hospice and Palliative Care programs there for six years before moving to Grand Junction, CO to join HopeWest.

“The mission and the culture are what really drew me to HopeWest,” said Dr. Tiller. “I am so excited to be working here and I’m most looking forward to building our hospice and palliative care programs and continuing to be more innovative in our approaches to patient care.”

Dr. Tiller is Board Certified in Hospice and Palliative Medicine and was made a Fellow of the American Association of Hospice and Palliative Medicine in 2016. She finished an Internal Medicine Residency program at the University of Virginia Roanoke-Salem in 2000. She completed medical school at the University of Queensland in Australia and worked as a general practitioner. She’s received several awards including the Donnelly Award for best all-round Internist in 2000 and the RMH Golden Stethoscope Award for excellence in patient care, customer service, communication and teamwork in 2010. 

“The expertise Dr. Tiller brings to our organization is a wonderful asset,” said Christy Whitney Borchard, President & CEO at HopeWest. “Having Dr. Tiller on our leadership team will really enhance how we care for individuals coping with serious illness.”

Dr. Tiller was recently recognized as a Certified Physician Executive (CPE) in December 2016 by the Credentials Committee for the Certifying Commission in Medical Management. The CPE certification only accredits a licensed M.D. or D.O. who has one year or more of management experience, has 150 hours of tested management education or a management degree, is board certified in a specialty, has three years of clinical experience after residency and fellowship and has successfully passed the live 3½-day CPE Capstone.

About HopeWest

HopeWest is a non-profit hospice, palliative care and grief support organization dedicated to profoundly change the way the community experiences serious illness, aging and grief – one family at a time. Founded in 1993 through a community-wide vision, HopeWest now serves more than 4,000 individuals each year across 7,000 square miles of western Colorado in Mesa, Delta, Montrose, Ouray and Rio Blanco Counties. For more information about HopeWest call 970-241-2212 or visit HopeWestCO.org.