Heath Bartness founded St. Croix Hospice in 2009 and serves as the Chief Executive Officer, where he oversees organizational strategy and is responsible for establishing and stewarding the company’s culture. As a longtime healthcare leader, his impetus for creating St. Croix Hospice was deeply rooted in his passion for patients during their end-of-life journey.
Heath’s visionary leadership is driven by his ongoing mission to improve access to hospice care for everyone who needs it, educate and inform people about the importance of high-quality hospice care, and provide unrivaled experiences for patients and families dealing with a terminal diagnosis, utilizing innovative tools and strategic partnerships along the way. Heath also demonstrates an ongoing commitment to building culture by connecting and engaging with every team throughout the organization. As such, St. Croix Hospice has been awarded the highest honor from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.
Heath began his career as a graduate student working for the Iowa Department of Public Health, followed by his role as Secretary for the Senate Business and Labor Committee for the Iowa state legislature. Subsequently, Heath joined Care Initiatives, the largest non-profit owner of Iowa nursing homes as Administrator of their facility in Ottumwa, Iowa. He then became Administrator of Arbor Springs, a long-term care center in West Des Moines, Iowa, before starting St. Croix Hospice.
Heath resides in Mahtomedi, Minnesota, with his wife and four children.