Why Families Choose Loving Care
A Different Approach to Hospice Care
Choosing a hospice provider is one of the most important decisions a family will make. While many hospice organizations offer similar services on paper, how care is delivered — and who is guiding it — makes all the difference.
Who We Are
A Family-Owned Organization Built on Trust
Loving Care has been Medicare-certified since 1997, proudly serving individuals and families across Oklahoma with compassionate, high-quality post-acute care.
Our story began at home—literally. Loving Care was founded by Billie, who started the agency alongside her family in the spare bedroom of their home. From the very beginning, the organization was shaped by firsthand clinical experience, a deep respect for patients and families, and a belief that care should always feel personal, dependable, and close to home.
What began as a small, family-led effort grew through word of mouth—built on trust, consistency, and genuine relationships with patients, families, physicians, and community partners.
Our Foundation
Clinically Built. Family Led.
Loving Care’s hospice program is rooted in frontline clinical care, shared family values, and a deeply personal commitment to end-of-life support.
Founded by Billie and her husband, Rick, Loving Care’s hospice services were shaped from the beginning by a belief that patients and families deserve comfort, dignity, and presence during life’s most vulnerable moments. Rick served as Loving Care’s first hospice chaplain and former Chief Financial Officer, helping establish the spiritual foundation and operational structure that continue to guide our hospice philosophy today.
That foundation is carried forward by the same family members who remain actively involved in hospice leadership, clinical oversight, and quality assurance.
Tammy Thompson, RN, serves as Chief Executive Officer and Administrator. With a background in critical care nursing in the Intensive Care Unit at Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City, she leads Loving Care with clinical insight and a patient-centered approach shaped by years at the bedside.
Lisa Lawson, RN, serves as Chief Clinical Officer and Administrator. Her experience includes neonatal intensive care at Children’s Hospital in Oklahoma City, and she oversees hospice clinical operations with a focus on quality, coordination, and continuity of care for patients and families.
Mark contributes additional perspective through his work as a local paramedic, bringing firsthand experience in emergency response and care transitions that inform Loving Care’s hospice approach. His wife, Annette, RN, supports quality assurance efforts across services, helping ensure consistent, compliant, and compassionate care delivery.
Joanie Hightower, RN, BS, MA—Billie’s sister—leads Quality Assurance and QAPI education, supporting hospice standards, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement across interdisciplinary care teams.
Together, this family brings decades of combined clinical, caregiving, educational, and leadership experience—ensuring Loving Care’s hospice program is guided by people who understand end-of-life care not just professionally, but personally.
OUR COMMITMENT
Family-Owned vs. Corporate-Owned Hospice
Loving Care is locally owned and family-led. Decisions are made by clinicians and leaders who live in the communities we serve and who are personally invested in every patient experience.
Many national hospice providers are managed by large organizations with centralized decision-making. While they may operate in Oklahoma, care models, staffing structures, and priorities are often set outside the community.
What this means for families:
More consistency, greater accountability, and care that feels personal — not standardized.
OUR CARE PHILOSOPHY
Hospice-Focused Care vs. Volume-Driven Models
Loving Care is intentionally hospice-focused. Our care model prioritizes comfort, symptom management, and quality of life, with care plans that evolve as needs change.
Some providers operate on high-volume models that limit flexibility and personal attention.
What this means for families:
Unhurried visits, responsive support, and a hospice team that adapts to the patient — not the other way around.
OUR LEADERSHIP
Clinically Guided Leadership vs. Administrative Oversight
Loving Care is guided by experienced clinicians with backgrounds caring for individuals across all life stages. Clinical insight shapes our policies, care coordination, and communication.
In contrast, some hospice organizations are primarily administratively driven, with less direct clinical involvement in day-to-day decision-making.
What this means for families:
Thoughtful symptom management, proactive care planning, and confidence that decisions are guided by real-world clinical understanding.
WHY HOSPICE IS PERSONAL
Personal Hospice Experience vs. Policy-Only Care
For our leadership team, hospice care is personal. Several of our own family members have received hospice services. We know firsthand the emotional weight families carry — and how meaningful compassionate, reliable support can be.
Not every hospice provider brings that lived experience to their care model.
What this means for families:
Empathy that is genuine, communication that is patient, and care that honors what matters most.
OUR ACCOUNTABILITY
Local Accountability vs. Distant Decision-Making
As a locally owned hospice provider, Loving Care remains accountable to Oklahoma families, physicians, and community partners. Our reputation is built on long-term relationships, not quarterly targets.
What this means for families:
A hospice team that shows up, follows through, and remains accessible when it matters most.
OUR PRIORITy
Hospice Care That Puts People First
When families choose Loving Care, they are choosing a team that understands hospice care professionally — and personally.
If you have questions about hospice care, eligibility, or what to expect, our team is here to help with honest answers and compassionate guidance.
Reach Out
Care That Starts With a Conversation
Whether you’re planning ahead or need support now, our team is here to listen and guide.