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| Irwin, June 14, 2005 — Hospice of Greater Pittsburgh Comfort Care (HGPCC) has officially changed its name to VITAS Innovative Hospice Care® of Greater Pittsburgh. All parties agree: The merger earlier this year of two families of hospice caregivers was a marriage made in heaven. For several months prior to the acquisition, the two hospices went through a traditional courting period to determine their compatibility. Their suitability was overwhelming and compelling: Both hospices have earned stellar reputations among hospice providers—one locally and the other nationally. Both are committed to providing innovative care for patients facing their final journey. Both have reputations for recruiting superior clinical staff with compassionate approaches to palliative care. HGPCC was established five years ago by an oncologist, Dr. David Mayernik , and a registered nurse, Fran Romito. VITAS was founded in 1978 by a United Methodist minister, Hugh Westbrook, and a registered nurse, Esther T. Colliflower. Their common backgrounds and shared goals made it clear these two hospices should become one. “We at HGPCC had reached a point in our growth where we needed a partner in order to reach our ever-expanding goals,” explains Fran Romito. “Too often, patients and families would tell us, ‘You all have been wonderful; I only wish I had known about you sooner.’ Our union with VITAS helps us reach more patients sooner.” Romito and Mayernik continue in their roles of general manager and medical director, respectively. Most of the program’s 80 patients are attended in their homes, nursing homes and assisted living communities, as always. VITAS maintains the Hospice of Greater Pittsburgh offices at 3520 Route 130 in Irwin and 267 Pittsburgh Road in Butler . Susanna Lisotto , VITAS Manager of Volunteer Services in the Pittsburgh program, likens the name change to a teacher who marries in the middle of the school year. “Students have a hard time calling Ms. Jones by her new name,” Lisotto acknowledges, “but the teacher hasn’t changed: she still makes her class her priority, she still teaches to the same high standards, and she’ll still have a lasting effect on the lives of her students.” If it takes times for people to adjust to the new name, they will recognize the quality of service immediately. VITAS is the largest and one of the nation’s oldest providers of end-of-life care. HGPCC is now part of a family of more than 7,000 hospice advocates who provide care each day to nearly 10,000 patients and families in 12 states. In Pennsylvania , VITAS has had a hospice program in Philadelphia since 1993. “VITAS has helped change the face of hospice,” says Dr. Mayernik. “They were part of the grassroots effort that, in 1982, made hospice care accessible through the Medicare Hospice benefit. They expanded hospice care to include patients with heart disease, lung disease, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other non-cancer diagnoses. They were among the first to make hospice care available to patients in nursing homes and, later, in assisted living communities.” The name VITAS (pronounced VEE-tahss) is derived from the Latin word for lives. The name symbolizes the VITAS mission: To preserve the quality of life for those who have a limited time to live. From its founding as an all-volunteer hospice in 1978, VITAS has been guided by four VITAS Values:
If a family member or friend might benefit from that approach to end-of-life care, call VITAS Innovative Hospice Care® of Greater Pittsburgh at 1-800-865-7153. A VITAS admissions representative can answer your questions and find out more about your family’s concerns. |
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