Photo: VITAS Healthcare staff at the ribbon cutting for the Inpatient Hospice Unit at Sunrise Health and Rehabilitation Center in South Florida.
VITAS IPUs offer a temporary home away from home for patients near the end of life when symptoms can no longer be managed in their preferred setting of care. Patients receive 24/7 care from an interdisciplinary VITAS team comprising a physician, nurse, social worker, chaplain, volunteer and bereavement expert. Together, the team attends to the medical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of patients and their families.
“As the nation’s leading provider of end-of-life care, we are honored to partner with Broward Health and with Sunrise Health and Rehabilitation Center to offer comprehensive, compassionate care to their patients and families,” said Betty Bel, vice president of operations at VITAS. “The benefit is two-fold in that patients with advanced illness have greater support to align with their goals of care, and hospital staff can rely on our specialized teams to provide a smooth transition to the nearby in-hospital inpatient unit.”
Broward Health Medical Center
VITAS Healthcare is proud to announce its third inpatient unit (IPU) with Broward Health. Located on the second floor of Broward Health Medical Center’s west wing, the IPU is expected to care for more than 400 patients each year.
Eight patient rooms with special amenities provide homelike comfort in a clinically optimized setting. Friends and family can visit 24/7—in accordance with current health guidelines and safety protocols—and utilize overnight accommodations to remain by their loved one’s side.
The VITAS Inpatient Hospice Unit at Broward Health Medical Center marks the company’s fifth IPU in Broward County, with others at Broward Health North, Broward Health Coral Springs, the Florida Medical Center, and Sunrise Health and Rehabilitation Center.
“Broward Health is proud of our long-standing, successful healthcare partnership with VITAS and looks forward to expanding our services together,” said Shane Strum, president and CEO of Broward Health. “Now, just as we do at other Broward Health hospitals, our hospice-eligible patients at Broward Health Medical Center can experience timely transitions to the expert end-of-life care that VITAS is known to provide.”
Sunrise Health and Rehabilitation Center
Residents of South Florida’s City of Sunrise now have increased access to high-quality hospice care through the VITAS Inpatient Hospice Unit (IPU) at Sunrise Health and Rehabilitation Center. The newly remodeled hospice wing is expected to care for more than 500 Broward County patients each year.
The VITAS IPU includes 16 private patient rooms with special amenities for families and visitors, private areas for quiet conversation and reflection, and overnight accommodations for guests, in adherence to current COVID-19 regulations.
Patients receive high-acuity care, as needed for their individualized care plan, including medicine and nutrition, and modalities to ease pain and other symptoms.
Patients can experience comfort via specialized therapies, Paw Pals® pet visits and care specific to the unique needs of veterans near the end of life, including bedside salutes and virtual-reality Honor Flight experiences.
VITAS has provided hospice care in Broward County since 1980 in patients’ homes, their preferred care settings and inpatient units. Clinicians and care teams are available 24/7 to provide care and answer questions.
- Clinicians can download the VITAS Healthcare mobile app for 24/7 referrals, locations, and interactive hospice eligibility guidelines, or contact VITAS 24/7 at 800.93.VITAS.
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About VITAS® Healthcare
Established in 1978, VITAS Healthcare is a pioneer and leader in the American hospice movement. Headquartered in Miami, Florida, VITAS (pronounced VEE-tahs) operates 49 hospice programs in 14 states (California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin) and the District of Columbia. VITAS employs 9,884 professionals who care for patients with advanced illness, primarily in the patients’ homes, and also in the company’s 28 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 fourth quarter of 2021, VITAS reported an average daily census of 17,783.
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