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fellow credentialed hospice professionals looked on at the annual banquet.
During the presentation of the award, representatives of the Credentialing Center commented on Colbert’s success at Community Hospice, as they shared, “He [Colbert] is a well-respected member of the community, and he has been dedicated to the hospice and palliative care community for many years.”
Upon receiving the award, Colbert delivered an acceptance speech, during which he emphasized, “Being recognized and certified in a career that is your passion is a badge of honor I wear proudly.”
He later added to his remarks about receiving the award, as he shared, “This career is not a job, it is a calling, and I am extremely honored and humbled to have been selected for this prestigious award acknowledging my passion for compassionate care at the end of life.”
Paul Elmore, Chief Executive Officer of Trilogy Health, the organization which oversees Community Hospice, also spoke on the honor, addressing Colbert in his remarks. “Congratulations, on this national award. It speaks to your commitment to the people suffering from advanced illness, and to your endless pursuit of making their remaining journey of life on earth better for them and those they care about.”
Colbert first began working at Community Hospice, the only inpatient hospice facility within a 50mile radius, almost 18 years ago, and has been serving Toombs and other surrounding counties as the facility’s CEO ever since. He oversees the organization and ensures that the company’s daily average of 100 patients receive the care they need. In 2023, he established Seasons of Life Palliative Care, the first palliative care program in the area for individuals with advanced illnesses who did not require hospice services.
Born and raised in Vidalia, Colbert is a 1996 graduate of Vidalia High School, and a 2002 graduate of the Toombs-Montgomery Leadership program. He has served in various community organizations throughout the years, including his time as the president of the Downtown Vidalia Association Board of Directors (20102013). On the state level, Colbert has participated on the Georgia Hospice and Palliative Care Board of Directors in Atlanta for many years. This association leads, advertises, and provides education to hospice providers from across the state. He has been featured in local magazines for his commitment to providing the community with compassionate and competent hospice care, and received the Community Pillar and Partner of the Year Award recently from Memorial Health Meadows Hospital.
This new national honor is the highest level of recognition in Colbert’s career, and emphasizes his commitment to serving his patients and community to his best possible ability.
