As a board member of Hospice and Palliative Care of Marthas’s Vineyard, I would like to thank the Gazette editors for presenting such a comprehensive overview of our activities.
As a board member of Hospice and Palliative Care of Marthas’s Vineyard, I would like to thank the Gazette editors for presenting such a comprehensive overview of our activities. I would also like to applaud the efforts of Cathy Wozniak, Chantale Patterson and all the hospice staff in securing Medicare certification.
Sadly, we at hospice still hear of misconceptions as to what our (and the Island’s) future will be under Medicare certification. I would like my Island neighbors to know our services will be expanded not diminished. Our services to our community will be enriched.
As Cathy Wozniak said, some for-profit hospices serve only their investors and not necessarily their patients. That is not us. Our sole mission is to provide compassionate care to our Island’s families in times of need. All revenues go directly to providing care.
I would like to thank all who have contributed to our mission. As we expand our scope of services, I am sure we will have a more robust institution.
Robert C.Sarno, M.D.
Edgartown
The writer is vice president ofHospice and Palliative Care of Martha’s Vineyard
Comments
As the Executive Director and
Cathy Wozniak Hospice and Palliative Care of Martha's VineyardAs the Executive Director and a leader of hospice programs for 30+ years, I would like to endorse what our Vice President, Robert Sarno wrote as a comment about our hospice. When choosing to accept a position a year in a half ago with our organization, part of my evaluation process was to ensure that Hospice and Palliative Care of Martha's Vineyard had the a caring mission and values aligned with how hospice and palliative care programs are intended to be deliver to patients and families. Getting Medicare certification and accreditation now only strengthens what we can provide to patients and families. We are not-for-profit and do not share in anyway the reduced services that some for profits owned by investors provide in this country. I can attest and assure the residents of Martha's Vineyard that we are here to provide the highest quality of services to patients and families. Medicare's standards are high and donations that we receive and many other not-for-profits receive from their communities allow us to do much more than hospices that are only concerned with profit - this IS NOT us. If a reader ever has questions, please feel free to email me at [email protected] or call at 508-693-0189. Cathy Wozniak, MPH, MBA
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