Hospice Hawaii, which has cared for terminally ill patients since 1979, is expanding its service line to include patients with serious but curable illnesses.

The nonprofit changed its name to Navian Hawaii, combining the words “navigator” and “guardian,” which the newly named company said “better reflects its expanded scope of services.”

“It was a tough decision. The name has been very meaningful in this community,” said Tori Abe Carapelho, president and chief executive officer. “As far as Hospice Hawaii … our core has not changed. We’re still the same organization with the same mission, the same values. Part of why we’re doing this is to fulfill unmet needs in this community.”

The new integrated care program will help patients living with critical medical conditions who may be seeking curative treatments “so that sooner or later they don’t find themselves in crisis having to call 911 and ending up in the hospital,” Carapelho said.

A social worker and advanced practice registered nurse will provide disease education, emotional support and advanced-care planning.

“One of the hardest things is to try to support a patient with a name like Hospice Hawaii when the patient isn’t looking for hospice,” Carapelho said. “There’s a lot of people who just don’t want to have the conversation because they’re just so afraid of the name. They end up walking away from the services they deserve. It’s just a very difficult situation to find yourself in, to navigate through the current health care system.”

All of the same programs and services will continue, including end-of-life care for patients with terminal illness, complementary therapies and community support groups on Oahu and Molokai for people struggling with the death of a loved one. That includes the pediatric hospice program, Manaolana Keiki, or “Hope for the Children.”

The organization, whose mission is to “help patients live as fully as possible,” started providing integrated care a year and a half ago as part of a pilot program. It has about 50 integrated patients and about 150 hospice patients, most of whom receive services in their own homes.

Navian Hawaii has about 120 employees with offices on Oahu, Molokai and Lanai.