2008-07-23 04:23:06 -
www.vitas.com - Philippa "Pippa" Steinhart, RN, of Naples, has been appointed General Manager for VITAS Innovative Hospice Care(R) of Collier County. Steinhart brings nearly three decades of experience in nursing and healthcare management to her new role, including prior experience with three VITAS programs.
Steinhart manages all aspects of VITAS' newest hospice program, overseeing program operations,
developing business opportunities, hiring and mentoring new staff, and representing VITAS throughout the Collier County community.
"Pippa's history as a member of the VITAS family and her tremendous experience as a nurse and in management make her a valuable asset to our new VITAS program in Collier County," says Dian Backoff, VITAS vice president of hospice operations.
Steinhart joined VITAS in 1991 as an admissions representative for VITAS in Broward County, Florida. She was appointed director of admissions for VITAS in Miami-Dade County, Florida, in 1997, a position she held until 1999. She served as office manager and nurse for Steinhart Medical Associates in Miami, Florida, from 1995 to 1996 and from 1999 to 2006, then re-joined VITAS as director of market development for the Philadelphia program, a position she held until her promotion and relocation to Collier County.
"Once you have experience with VITAS it gets under your skin. Even when I didn't work for VITAS I was still advocating for it; I never really left emotionally," says Steinhart. "Providing quality end-of-life care to patients and their families -- it's a wonderful thing we do. I love everything about it."
Steinhart received her nursing degree from Northeastern University School of Nursing in Boston. Her career also has included working as a dialysis nurse for The Kidney Center in Boston and as a chemotherapy nurse for the Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Massachusetts.
VITAS Innovative Hospice Care(R), a pioneer and leader in the hospice movement since 1978, is one of the nation's largest providers of end-of-life care. Headquartered in Miami, Florida, VITAS (pronounced VEE-tahs) operates 44 hospice programs in 16 states (California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin). VITAS employs 9,124 professionals who care for terminally ill patients daily, primarily in the patients' homes, but also in the company's 25 inpatient hospice units as well as in hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living communities/residential care facilities for the elderly. At the conclusion of the first quarter of 2008, VITAS reported an average daily census of 11,775.
VITAS Innovative Hospice Care(R)
Mark Cohen, Senior VP/Communications & Public Relations
305-350-5905
or
Megan Carella, APR, Public Relations Specialist
352-560-3415
