Hospice Care
Improving Hospice Quality of Care by Supporting and Empowering Families
April 30, 2024–Here is the latest in the series, “Objectives in Action.” Each month, we’ll feature a team from across the organization that’s working to make one of our 4 Top Company Objectives a reality. Next up, our Hospice Care team. The VNS Health Hospice Care team has a challenging pair of Objectives: To lead the New York City hospice market in quality and improve the financial sustainability of our Hospice program. By making this happen, the team will also be helping VNS Health achieve our Top Company Objective of bringing our operating margins and cost structure in line with the rest of the industry. Here’s the story behind the many exciting patient-centered initiatives the Hospice team has launched to achieve their Objectives and support and empower families, all with an eye towards improving quality of care. The situation: The goal of hospice care is to have a patient remain comfortable and
Over 300 People Volunteer to Help Us Fulfill Our Mission. We Spoke to Four of Them.
April 22, 2024–It’s National Volunteer Week—a perfect time to celebrate our dedicated volunteers! Volunteers help teams in all parts of our organization, including Hospice Care, Gender Affirmation, Finance, Business Development, and Home Care. They visit Hospice patients at home, provide comfort and companionship to Home Care patients, assist with administrative functions, even help write educational materials. In 2023, a total of 323 individuals from Home Care and Hospice volunteered 20,243 hours of their time to VNS Health. In dollars, this comes out to about $650,000 in estimated savings to the organization. More importantly, what volunteers provide to our patients, members, and clients – as well as to our organization – is invaluable. No doubt about it, volunteers play a vital role at VNS Health. We recently interviewed four of them to learn more about their experiences as VNS Health volunteers. Here are their stories. “I feel I’m doing something important, and it
Latest Hospice Care News
Find Out What’s Happening… News Briefs from Around VNSNY!
August 12, 2021–Welcome to the latest edition of “News Briefs from Around VNSNY”— featuring quick updates on recent news and virtual events across the organization. If you have a news brief you’d like to be considered for an upcoming edition, please click here to submit your idea. VNSNY Launches Oncology Hospice Program As part of its ongoing effort to provide our hospice patients with the best possible quality of life, VNSNY Hospice has launched a specialized support program for complex cancer patients and their loved ones. The program, which was piloted with a major New York City academic medical center, builds on VNSNY Hospice’s experience implementing similar programs for patients with congestive heart failure and COPD. Because people with terminal cancer and their families deal with high levels of fear, stress and complex needs, the program’s aim is to provide these patients and families with an extra layer of support. To help in the
Here They Are, the Most Recent Patient Letters and CHOICE Member Commendations
August 4, 2021–The COVID-19 pandemic has continued to prove the resilience and dedication of our entire VNSNY staff. The following are excerpts from a few of the many recent letters, phone calls, and emails that we’ve received from grateful patients, plan members and family members that reflect an outstanding consumer experience. To read the August 2021 Patient Letters, click here. To read the August 2021 CHOICE Commendations, click here.
“We Are All Heroes!” Don’t Miss this Hometown Heroes Parade Video!
July 13, 2021–On July 7th, VNSNY staff representing all parts of the organization marched through the Canyon of Heroes in lower Manhattan, in a historic parade celebrating the contributions of all essential workers throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Health care employees, transportation workers, food service professionals, and other groups gathered together to participate in what is now being called one of the largest ticker tape parades in the city’s history. Starting at Battery Park, VNSNY made their way up Broadway to City Hall, meeting with press, government officials, and countless grateful New Yorkers along the way. See for yourself! Click below to watch the moving video, and thanks to everyone who marched for representing VNSNY! The following are the VNSNY Heroes who participated in the parade: Partners in Care: Denise Mallette, Home Health Aide, Yeasmin Mehli, Home Health Aide, Elvira Ruiz, Home Health Aide, Veronica Ventura, Home Health Aide— CHHA: Eileen Baez, Registered
News12 Brooklyn Features VNSNY Nurses Marching in Hometown Heroes Parade
July 8, 2021–
NY1 Features VNSNY Nurse at Hometown Heroes Parade
July 7, 2021–
WNBC Features VNSNY Physical Therapist at Hometown Heroes Parade
July 7, 2021–
Breaking Video and Photos from Today’s Hometown Heroes Parade!
July 7, 2021–Breaking news! U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer meets up with the VNSNY heroes who are representing VNSNY at today’s Hometown Heroes Parade! Watch the video here below and see photos of today’s event as it unfolds. VNSNY Marching! And another marching video! Here are the photos!
Cheer on Your VNSNY Partners in Care Colleagues Today in New York City’s Hometown Heroes Parade!
July 7, 2021–Today, Wednesday, July 7th, starting at 11:00 a.m., a group of your colleagues will represent VNSNY in a parade honoring New York City’s essential workers for their efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. This Hometown Heroes Parade through the famous “Canyon of Heroes” in Downtown Manhattan is the City’s first ticker-tape parade in two years. If you watch it, either in person or virtually, you’ll see your colleagues marching proudly with the VNSNY banner — representing everyone at VNSNY who helped New York get through this public health emergency! Here are our VNSNY parade representatives: Partners in Care: Denise Mallette, Home Health Aide; Yeasmin Mehli, Home Health Aide; Elvira Ruiz, Home Health Aide; Veronica Ventura, Home Health Aide CHHA: Eileen Baez, Registered Nurse; Sarah Bravo, Occupational Therapist; David Friend, Physical Therapist; Michael Guglielmelli, Registered Nurse; Patricia Vieira, Physical Therapist CMHS: Collette Hendricks, Registered Nurse Hospice: Ruthlyn Marrett, Hospice Liaison, Clinical; KerryAnne
Weren’t Able to Attend Our Spectacular Drag Pageant of Superheroes? Now You Can Watch It on Video!
July 1, 2021–Last Thursday evening, June 24th, in celebration of Pride Month, over 100 staff and friends came together to pay tribute to the LGBTQ+ Heroes of 2020 with a Spectacular Drag Pageant of Superheroes. It was truly a night to remember! For those of you who couldn’t join, we’ve created these video segments of the show below for easy viewing. Enjoy! Part 1 Part 2 Part 3