FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., Nov. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Dian Backoff has been promoted to senior general manager of VITAS Innovative Hospice Care(R) of Broward County, Florida.
Backoff’s vision and leadership over the last two years have resulted in the program’s growth by more than 40 percent -- representing a significant increase to hospice access for residents of assisted living facilities and nursing homes. Backoff also was instrumental in the 2003 opening of Broward’s fourth hospice inpatient unit at Fort Lauderdale Health and Rehabilitation Center. The program opened its newest hospice inpatient unit on October 26, 2004, at the Broward Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.
Backoff has worked for VITAS for more than 20 years, starting as a field and inpatient unit nurse for the Broward program. She has since served in a variety of roles, including admissions nurse, VITAS representative, customer service manager, corporate director of marketing & admissions, and as the general manager of call centers. She has also garnered a significant number of VITAS corporate awards for her attention to detail, quality service and her role in promoting the VITAS values.
Backoff resides in Coral Springs with her husband and three children. About VITAS Innovative Hospice Care
VITAS Innovative Hospice Care(R), a pioneer and leader in the hospice movement since 1978, is the nation’s largest provider of end-of-life care. Headquartered in Miami, Florida, VITAS (pronounced VEE-tahs) operates 32 hospice programs in 11 states (Florida, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin). VITAS employs 6,887 professionals who care for terminally ill patients daily, primarily in the patients’ homes, but also in the company’s 20 hospice inpatient units as well as in hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living facilities/residential care facilities for the elderly. At the conclusion of the second quarter of 2004, VITAS reported an average daily census of 8,949.
VITAS Innovative Hospice Care
CONTACT: Mark B. Cohen, Vice President, Communications & PublicRelations of VITAS Healthcare Corp., +1-305-350-5905, mark.cohen@vitas.com; orDeborah Adams, Account Supervisor of Hill & Knowlton, +1-202-944-1903,deborah.adams@hillandknowlton.com, for VITAS