San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine Celebrates 35 Years as the Area’s Oldest and Largest Nonprofit Hospice Provider

(SAN DIEGO) – On Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2012, San Diego Hospice and The Institute of Palliative Medicine celebrates 35 years of caring for our community. From humble beginnings as the first nonprofit hospice provider in the county, San Diego Hospice has grown to become one of the largest hospice and palliative care programs in the country, caring for 1,200 patients each day. In addition to patient and family care, our Institute for Palliative Medicine trains 3,400 clinicians (Physicians, Nurses, Social Workers, Pharmacists and Clergy) from around the world in palliative care annually.

“We are honored to have earned the community’s trust and respect as a leading healthcare resource over the past 35 years,” said Kathleen Pacurar, President and CEO of San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine. “Our goal and continuing commitment is to provide high quality, compassionate medical care to adults and children living with a serious or terminal illness in our community, as well as comprehensive support services for them and their loved ones."

San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine's mission is “To prevent and relieve suffering and promote quality of life, at every stage of life, through patient and family care, education, research and advocacy. ”  With the ever-changing face of healthcare, the organization is committed to meeting the evolving needs of our patients and families.

“As the CEO of San Diego Hospice, I want to ensure that our organization is equipped to continue providing our legendary care to those in need. This philosophy affects every organizational decision, from allocation of resources to implementation of new programs – all to ensure that we deliver the best day of patient and family care possible every day,” said Pacurar.

As of last year, San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine:

• Employs a workforce of more than 850 staff member (full-time, part-time and per diem)
• Receives the time, talent and treasure of 750 volunteers, providing 89,415 volunteer hours
• In addition to patient care, our Center for Grief Care and Education has provided supportive services to 19,950 individuals through bereavement calls and counseling sessions (in 2011)
• Has touched the lives of more than 98,000 community members through outreach activities (presentations, health/community fairs, and campus tours)

About San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine
San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine is one of the largest community-owned, not-for-profit hospices in the country, bringing compassionate, expert medical care to more than 1,200 seriously ill adults and children each day throughout San Diego County. In addition to patient and family care, our Institute for Palliative Medicine trains 3,400 clinicians (Physicians, Nurses, Social Workers, Pharmacists and Clergy) from around the world in palliative care annually. The Institute also hosts the largest physician specialty training program in palliative medicine in the nation. For more information, visit www.sdhospice.org, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+ and The Caregiver’s Corner blog or call toll-free 866-688-1600.