Hospice Physician Destined to Care for Those in Their Final Days

AdventHealth Porter Hospice physician, Dr. Julie Devita-Bailey, recounts her journey to hospice care and how it has touched her personal life.

I first found out about hospice while doing a hospice rotation during my geriatric fellowship at Kaiser Sunset in Los Angeles in 2004. I was finished with my family medicine three-year residency and decided to take another year to learn more about caring for the elderly. My second child was about three months old, so I hated to leave him, but felt strongly this was a good investment in my education. I enjoyed learning about hospice and seeing patients in their homes, helping them to be comfortable for whatever time they had left, to make memories with their loved ones. It felt very special to be invited into their homes and to see inside their world and to know intimate details about their lives. I was raised in the Catholic Church, attended Catholic school, and even contemplated becoming a nun at one point. I attended church, sometimes every day in elementary and built a strong relationship with God. It taught me to appreciate life and to try not to judge, but to be kind and loving to others. I did not realize at the time how this chapter of my life would end up leading me to my best life and career.

I ended up moving to Colorado a few years later and was working as a primary care provider in Montrose, Colorado. One of the hospice companies asked me to join them and I really fell in love with hospice at that point. My oldest sister, Vicki, became ill with head and neck cancer and passed away a few days before I took my hospice board exam in 2010. Somehow, I passed the exam. I do think she helped me. She endured two years of pain and suffering and had a tracheostomy and G-tube with large open wounds on her neck. She never complained at all and wanted to live so much. It was really hard to lose her and to see my parents say goodbye to their daughter and best friend. We were very close, I struggled to cope with her loss. I decided to honor her by living my best life and appreciating all the blessings I have. I feel like she is with me, every day by my side when I interact with patients, families, and our team.

In Montrose, we had home patients and one room at the hospital for hospice patients. I enjoyed helping these patients to be comfortable and also working closely with the nurses and the family. I started working in hospice full time in 2018 in Fort Collins and then my life led me to AdventHealth Hospice in 2022. I feel that I am finally where I am supposed to be, and that God has led me here. I miss being with my spouse and children during the week but for me it is worth it as I value our work here so very much. Working with our team is a gift and everyone is like my extended family now. Spending time with our patients and families is a blend of medicine and God’s work which for me is everything. I am so very fortunate every day to be doing this work and helping others.

My little sister, Kristi who was 55 years old, recently passed after her battle against colon cancer. I feel that my work is a calling and has helped me deal with the loss of my oldest sister, Vicki at 57 years, my father with dementia age 90, and now my younger sister. Being a source of love and to just be present is so powerful and I think helps my mom and my family members. They in turn also help me cope with the sorrow and loss. I feel so blessed to be able to work in hospice every day.

From left to right: Dr. Devita-Bailey's sister, Victoria who passed in 2010 from head and neck cancer, Dr. Devita-Bailey in the center, and their mother, Patricia. Dr. Devita-Bailey is pictured in the center photo, and Dr. Devita-Bailey's sister Kristi is pictured with Dr. Devita-Bailey in the photo on the right.

Left to right: Dr. Devita-Bailey's oldest living sister, Sherri next Mom Patricia and sister Kristi. Dr. Devita-Bailey with her husband John in the center. Dr. Devita-Bailey's sister Kristi who passed on Nov 12 this year.