For Immediate Release:
October 15, 2015
National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization’s We Honor Veterans program recognizes organization with ‘Award of Excellence.’
(Alexandria, VA) – To celebrate We Honor Veterans 5th year anniversary, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization awarded the WHV ‘Award of Excellence’ to Gentiva Hospice Evansville/Jasper. The award was presented during a special celebratory event held Wednesday, October 14, at NHPCO’s 16th Clinical Team Conference and Pediatric Intensive in Grapevine, Texas.
The ‘Award of Excellence’ recognizes the extraordinary investment, commitment and achievement of a hospice partner who provided outstanding quality end-of-life care to the Veterans and the families they serve.
“Gentiva Hospice Evansville/Jasper has excelled in implementing WHV best practices,” says NHPCO President and CEO J. Donald Schumacher. “We congratulate them for their achievements and thank them for being an outstanding WHV partner.”
Gentiva Hospice WHV practices include honoring their Veteran patients and families, engaging staff and volunteers in WHV activities, and collaborating with their local VA. Further, Gentiva Hospice formed the 133rd Honor Flight Hub – Honor Flight of Southern Indiana. Since its creation a little over a year ago, 140 Veterans have flown to Washington, D.C. to visit the memorials and be honored for their service.
“Winning the Award of Excellence is a major honor for Gentiva Hospice Evansville/Jasper. We go above and beyond for our Veteran patients and community every day and could not be more thrilled to be recognized for our efforts in providing the WHV program at the highest level of excellence,” says Gentiva Hospice Specialist Ashley Gregg. “The NHPCO and WHV program has given Gentiva Hospice employees the ability to embrace our Veteran patient population and provide the necessary specialized end-of-life care that in decades past was not a focus in the industry.”
Five years ago, NHPCO in collaboration with the Department of Veteran Affairs launched WHV to address the growing need for Veteran-centered care as our servicemen and servicewomen age and need access to hospice and palliative care. Today, more than 3,100 hospice and community-based healthcare organizations across the United States are committed to understanding and addressing the unique needs of Veterans with advanced illness as WHV partners.
WHV provides education, resources, and technical assistance to educate hospice and other health care organizations caring for veterans whose military service, combat experience, or other traumatic events may resurface or play a pivotal role in their end-of-life experience.
To learn more about We Honor Veterans and to support this important work via a secure online donation, please visit www.wehonorveterans.org.
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About National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
NHPCO is the oldest and largest nonprofit membership organization representing hospice and palliative care programs and professionals in the United States. The organization is committed to improving end–of-life care and expanding access to hospice care with the goal of profoundly enhancing quality of life for people dying in America and their loved ones.
Media Contact:
Anita Brikman|
NHPCO
Senior Vice President, Strategic Communications
703-837-3154
abrikman@nhpco.org
