News
April 2008
17th Annual Walk for Hospice Raises More Than $300,000
More than 2,000 people joined together to show their support for local hospice patients and their families at the 17th Annual Walk for Hospice of the South Shore. On March 29th, participants put on their walking shoes for the cause at South Shore Plaza in Braintree. Every dollar raised helps assure that Hospice of the South Shore is able to continue providing advanced, compassionate end-of-life care for nearly 500 hundred patients in 24 area towns each year.
South Shore Visiting Nurse Association Wins MassPro Achievement Award
The South Shore Visiting Nurse Association (SSVNA) has earned a MassPro 2008 Achievement Award for its “Call Me First” Program, which is designed to reduce the acute care hospitalization rate for VNA patients. The SSVNA worked closely with South Shore Hospital to develop the program over a two-year period. “Call Me First” utilizes instructional booklets to educate patients and families about the early signs and symptoms that should signal a call to the VNA.
The “Call Me First” Program has been successful with SSVANA patients, families and clinicians. In fact, South Shore VNA’s acute care hospitalization rate was 27 percent compared with an average 31 percent for all visiting nurse agencies in the group monitored by MassPro. As the Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in Massachusetts, MassPro assures the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of health care services provided to Medicare Beneficiaries.
March 2008
The Home Care Division of South Shore Hospital Service Area Expands
Over the past year, the Home Care Division of South Shore Hospital has expanded its service area to provide sophisticated home care services to more towns. The towns of Avon, Bridgewater, East Bridgewater, and Milton have joined 20 other towns in the Home Care Division’s service area.
November 2007
Hoedown for Hospice Kicks-up $16,000
The Fifth Annual Hoedown for Hospice raised nearly $16,000 to benefit the patients and families of the Hospice of the South Shore. The sold-out event was sponsored by Friends of Hospice, which supports hospice through fund-raising, friend-raising and helping hospice patients and their families. Held at the Weymouth Elks, this year’s Hoedown brought in more than 300 people, which is twice as many participants as the prior year.
