New CEO named for Blue Ridge Hospice; COVID-19 rules updated for patients, families

Cheryl Hamilton Fried, whose last 18 years have been spent working in hospices in Colorado and Florida, has been named Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Blue Ridge Hospice, effective January 4. Her new office is at Blue Ridge Hospice’s In-patient Care Center (ICC), 333 Cork Street, Winchester.

After an extensive, months-long search, Fried’s appointment was announced to staff, volunteers, and donors earlier in December. She replaces interim CEO Richard Kennedy.

Prior to accepting the Winchester post, Fried served as interim president and CEO of Pikes Peak Hospice in Colorado Springs following a term as Chief Operations Officer for Chapters Health Systems in Temple Terrace, Florida. A certified Hospice Administrator, she received her undergraduate degree from Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, and her MBA in Health Services Management from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri.

As of December 2020, according to its website, Blue Ridge Hospice continues to follow CDC recommendations while “serving our community and monitoring the COVID-19 in our region as it evolves.” New patients continue to be accepted and care for patients in their homes is continuing. The current visitation policy at the In-patient Care Center is confined to one visitor per patient every 24 hours.