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HOSPICE & PALLIATIVE CARE IN SOUTH FLORIDA

VITAS® HEALTHCARE IN MIAMI-DADE VITAS® HEALTHCARE IN THE TREASURE COAST
AND MONROE COUNTIES

Pedro J. Diaz, MD Cheri Hartmann, FNP-BC,
Home Care Physician APRN, ACHPN
Nurse Practitioner
For 20 years, Dr. Pedro J. Diaz has specialized in tak-
ing care of hospice patients in their homes throughout Cheri Hartmann, a nurse practitioner for the newly
Dade and Monroe counties. His VITAS colleagues opened VITAS Treasure Coast program in Martin, St.
describe him as “always eager and enthusiastic to lend a Lucie and Okeechobee counties, credits the compassion-
helping hand whenever needed.” ate care her family received during her mother’s death
A Cuban native who practiced internal medicine in from scleroderma for shaping her career as a hospice
Matanzas, Cuba, for 20 years before migrating to the US nurse.
in 1993, Dr. Diaz practiced medicine in Miami from “My mother’s death was so peaceful and calm. The
1997-2009 before joining VITAS in 2009. He is now 70 people who were at her bedside were the people she
years old and pursuing certification in pastoral educa- loved the most, and it made me think that this is how it
tion (CPE) through VITAS to understand the interplay should be for everyone.“
of faith, religious beliefs and end-of-life care. She earned an associate degree from Indian River Community College, and com-
"Hospice counseling and spiritual guidance can be very beneficial for the patient pleted her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing education, as well as post-mas-
and the family who suffers around the patient. Faith can bring peace of mind and reli- ter’s studies as a nurse practitioner, at Florida Atlantic University.
gious reconciliation by enhancing the search for a deeper meaning of life and one's Before joining VITAS in July, Hartmann worked in a 16-bed inpatient hospice unit
legacy. And after taking the CPE course, I feel more competent and capable of helping in Treasure Coast and as a home hospice manager in Palm Beach County. At VITAS,
my patients from an emotional and spiritual standpoint." she works across all hospice teams to support patients, families and the nursing staff,

and she coordinates patients’ hospice care plans with VITAS physicians.
Kevin Stowe, D.Min. “I’ve left hospice several times throughout my career, but I’ve gravitated back each
Bereavement Services Manager time. This is where I need to be.”

When his wife died of Lou Gehrig’s disease 12 years Charmaine Reynolds
ago, Kevin Stowe found one of his greatest sources of Continuous Care LPN
support was the hospice chaplain assigned to his wife’s
hospice care team. During her tenure as a nursing home manager,
“He was such a blessing to our whole family. We were Charmaine Reynolds, LPN, noticed the holistic care
part of the same faith tradition, and I had conversations some residents received from a chaplain, nurse and
with him at the time about hospice chaplaincy. After my music therapist. “It was hospice,” she recalls thinking.
wife’s death, it was always in the back of my mind that I In 2005, Reynolds became a hospice nurse, and in
would enjoy this work. When I remarried, I was grateful 2015 she joined VITAS in Palm Beach County. The Port
to be able to work for VITAS as a chaplain, and I’ve been St. Lucie resident transferred in July to the new VITAS
here ever since. When you work in hospice, you come to Treasure Coast program in Martin, St. Lucie and
work every day because you’re called to do this work.” Okeechobee counties.
Stowe joined VITAS in 2012 as a home care and assisted living facility chaplain, and “She goes where she is asked and often volunteers
was promoted in 2015 to bereavement services manager. Described by a coworker as when there is a need,” notes Treasure Coast General Manager Susan Acocella.
someone who is “ready to help at any time of the day or night,” Stowe works closely “Whether she is stepping in for a shift of continuous care or making an unscheduled
with patients, families and hospice care teams to address anticipatory grief and loss but necessary delivery of medications to a patient’s home, Charmaine does it with a
after a loved one’s death, overseeing support groups, grief education and one-on-one smile. Her patients and families appreciate her—and so do we.”
visits with families for up to 13 months after a death. Says Reynolds: “I’m just happy VITAS is here. When you’re doing work you love,

you don’t look for accolades.”
VITAS® HEALTHCARE IN THE TREASURE COAST
VITAS® HEALTHCARE IN THE PALM BEACH COUNTY

Gerald Turgeon, DO Veronica VanReil, RN
Medical Director Home Care Nurse

Gerald Turgeon, D.O., was a Palm Beach County neu- Veronica VanReil, a hospice home care nurse for
rologist who explored hospice part-time on weekends VITAS® Healthcare in Palm Beach, is described by her
“to see if I would enjoy it.” He did. He added more and supervisor as someone “who always goes above and
more hospice care to his schedule until, in 2007, he real- beyond taking care of her patients,” including non-
ized his neurology practice was getting in the way of his scheduled weekend visits to celebrate a patient’s birth-
hospice practice and joined hospice full-time. In 2011 day or greet out-of-town family members.
he was named medical director of VITAS Healthcare in VanReil joined VITAS in 2007 and today trains newly
Palm Beach County, and after moving to Fort Pierce in hired nurses and provides instruction on VITAS policies
2014, he transferred to another hospice in Treasure and standards for documenting patient care. A recent
Coast. case highlights her embrace of a VITAS corporate value
Three months ago, VITAS opened its Treasure Coast to “put patients and families first.”
program in Stuart, covering Martin, St. Lucie and Okeechobee counties. Dr. Turgeon When a VITAS team doctor’s mother died recently,
is once again a VITAS medical director, mentor and leader, inspiring healthcare pro- Veronica facilitated a memorial service at the woman’s care facility.
fessionals to join the Treasure Coast team and introducing local referral sources to “Veronica was able to alleviate the burden from our team physician to allow him
VITAS services. time to grieve with his family and also include the facility staff and residents in the
“I have always loved VITAS. Our support of both patients and staff means excellent service,” says General Manager Diana Smith. “Veronica is an amazing human being,
end-of-life care for families. Being able to work with VITAS again is a true gift.” and I am lucky to have her on my team.”

Coming Next Month...

2019 – A Year in Review • What’s Ahead in Healthcare Real Estate? • Outsourcing – Year-end Business Strategies
Healthcare Marketing & Public Relations – What Works? • Healthcare’s Spiritual Community

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20 November 2019 southfloridahospitalnews.com South Florida Hospital News