NY/NJ Healthcare Network

VA PRESS RELEASE Department of Veterans Affairs James J. Peters VA Medical Center 130 W Kingsbridge Road, Bronx, NY 10468 718-741-4273 | 718-741-4269 Fax Contact: James E. Connell, III, Director of Community & Government Relations FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 13, 2006 Veterans Affairs Hospital Network Receives Prestigious Award Bronx, NY - The Palliative Care program of the Department of Veterans Affairs Integrated Service Network of New York and New Jersey has received the prestigious Circle of Life Citation of Honor Award. The original presentation was made at the American Hospital Association (AHA) Leadership Summit in San Francisco, CA on July 14th. A reception in honor of the VA Palliative Care teams across New York and New Jersey was held Tuesday, September 12th, 2006 at the James J. Peters VA Medical Center. Mr. James Farsetta, Director of VA's NY/NJ Network, accepted the award on behalf of the network palliative care teams. The presentation was made by AHA Chairman-elect, William Petasnick. The Circle of Life Citation of Honor recognizes innovative programs in the delivery of palliative and end of life care. The goal of the award is to increase understanding and awareness of the importance and value of providing high quality end of life care. The Circle of Life Award is sponsored by the American Hospital Association in conjunction with the American Medical Association and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. "Our goals were to set up a network-wide palliative care program consisting of an interdisciplinary Palliative Care Consultation teams (PCCT) at all acute care hospitals and nursing homes to provide uniform palliative care to patients in all venues of care" said Carol A. Luhrs, MD, Director of Palliative Care for the Network, "It is this approach that has emphasized relationships both within the VA locally and nationally, and with community organizations, such as the hospices, state veteran nursing homes, and veteran groups, to provide a seamless transition of care for veterans at the end of life." The Palliative Care Teams of VA's New York/New Jersey Network includes the facilities at Brooklyn, Bronx, Manhattan, St. Albans, Queens, Castle Point, Montrose and Northport, New York; as well as, East Orange and Lyons, New Jersey. The Palliative Care Program was awarded the Circle of Life Citation of Honor Award for leading the VA system in standardizing care processes and communication across settings and sites and innovatively using information technology and electronic medical records in the delivery of palliative care. For more information regarding this news release, please contact Jim Connell, Public Affairs Officer, at 718-741-4273. Plug-Ins & File Format Information | Contact the NY/NJ Network Webmaster