Miami, FL, July 16, 2007 – Betty Bel, RN, MSHA, has been promoted to Associate General Manager for VITAS Innovative Hospice Care® of Dade-Monroe Counties.

Bel brings three decades of experience as a patient care provider, administrator and entrepreneur to this position. In her new role, she will serve as liaison between VITAS and local nursing schools that have students rotate through the VITAS Dade-Monroe program. She will mentor team managers and new patient care administrators, and oversee the program’s disaster preparedness planning and customer service program. She will work closely with General Manager Dian Johnson as they manage all aspects of this large hospice program, which provides end-of-life care and support to more than 1,300 patients and their families.

Bel joined VITAS in 2003 as a patient care administrator in Dade-Monroe. She was promoted to senior patient care administrator in 2005. In these positions, she provided oversight for patient care teams and services, assisted patient care teams in developing palliative care measures for pain and symptom management, and offered mentoring and staff training. She was named to the 2004 VITAS Leadership Council, a select group of top-performing managers and patient advocates who embody VITAS’ mission and values.

“Betty is an excellent leader who is passionate about hospice. She extends that enthusiasm to our staff, who in turn extend it to our patients and their families,” says Johnson. “Her management skills, combined with her nursing and excellent people skills make her a natural for this role.”

Bel was born in Cuba and came to the United States with her family in 1962 when she was seven years old. She received an RN degree from Miami-Dade Community College in 1974 and began her nursing career at Hialeah Hospital, where she became head nurse of a 14-bed intensive care unit. She subsequently spent 16 years in home health care, as a nurse, administrator and agency owner.

Bel earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in health services administration from Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.