New Name Reflects Recognition of Worldwide Leadership
San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine reflects growing stature in its field
SAN DIEGO – There’s a new look to the sign in front of San Diego’s oldest hospice facility. San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine officially unveiled its new name to the community with the placement of a banner on August 1, along with the unveiling of its new website at www.sdhospice.org [1]
Why the change? “We were the first hospice in San Diego more than 30 years ago,” said Jan Cetti, president and CEO. “Today, we’ve become a worldwide leader in the relief of pain and suffering, not only through the care we offer but through the education we provide to medical professionals from around the world.”
“We are passionate about sharing our knowledge and our approach with others so that they may carry on our mission worldwide and benefit tens of thousands of people,” said Cetti. “It is truly what San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine is all about and why each of us comes to work each day. Now, our new name more accurately reflects who we are, what we do, and what we stand for.”
San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine combines one of the 10 largest community-owned, not-for-profit hospices in the country, with the largest resource in the world for training palliative medicine physicians and other specialists.
The dedicated professionals, educators, students and volunteers all play vital roles contributing to the mission, which incorporates:
- Relieving suffering, to restore dignity and comforting people living with a life-limiting disease;
- Teaching other medical professionals how to make a difference, too;
- Helping research palliative practices and medicines;
- Providing compassionate care in the great hospice tradition.
Palliative care is the prevention and relief of suffering by a specialized medical team that focuses on managing symptoms, relieving pain, and improving quality of life, whatever the diagnosis.
Hospice care is a form of palliative care for patients with a life expectancy of six months or less.
Physicians and healthcare professionals from around the globe come to The Institute for Palliative Medicine to study. The Institute helped pioneer the palliative medicine subspecialty approved by the American Board of Medical Specialties in 2006.
“A name alone doesn’t automatically confer excellence,” said Laurel Herbst, MD, vice president of medical affairs and chief medical officer. “It was time for our name to reflect our status as one of the finest palliative medicine training programs in the world and a facility where this knowledge is applied to make a difference for families every day. It’s something we’re extremely proud of, and we want San Diegans to be proud of this organization as a vital part of our community too.”
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