FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact:
Kal Mistry, Chief Administrative Officer/Senior Vice President
VITAS Innovative Hospice Care®, 305-350-5990
Megan Carella, APR, Public Relations Editor
VITAS Innovative Hospice Care®, 352-560-3415

East Hartford, Connecticut, February 25, 2010— Kathleen Guastella, BSN, MS, of Southington, Connecticut, has been appointed Patient Care Administrator for VITAS Innovative Hospice Care® of Hartford. Guastella brings nearly 30 years of clinical and leadership experience in home health care, hospice and long-term care, to her new role.

As a patient care administrator, Guastella is responsible for the daily clinical operations for the VITAS Hartford program, which serves patients with life-limiting diagnoses and their families in the greater Hartford area. She oversees patient care teams—composed of nurses, hospice aides, physicians, social workers, chaplains and volunteers who work together to provide support to patients in private residences, nursing homes and assisted living communities. The VITAS patient care administrator also is responsible for daily communications, quality of patient care services, employee and customer satisfaction and financial management.

Prior to joining VITAS, Guastella served in leadership positions for Wadsworth Glen Health Care Center in Middletown, Connecticut. Before that, she was director of hospice clinical services for Masonicare Home Care and Hospice in Wallingford, Connecticut.

Guastella received a bachelor’s degree in nursing from St. Joseph’s College, West Hartford, Connecticut, and a master’s degree from Rensselaer at Hartford.

VITAS Innovative Hospice Care® is one of the nation’s largest providers of end-of-life care. A pioneer and leader in the hospice movement since 1978, VITAS has been caring for the terminally ill and their families in Connecticut since 2004. Visit www.vitas.com.