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November 12, 2007

(SYRACUSE, NY) — A leading home health care corporation in Central New York, VNA Systems, Inc. (which includes Visiting Nurse Association of Central New York, Inc., Independent Health Care Services, Inc. and CCH Home Care & Palliative Services, Inc.) will hold a press conference on Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 1:15 PM at the Palace Theatre in Syracuse to unveil its new “Keys to Quality Care” program that includes a new fleet of agency vehicles and to celebrate National Home Care Month. The heart of the “Keys to Quality Care” program is the organization’s pledge to provide the utmost in home health care by being: (1) Respectful, (2) Caring, (3) Competent, (4) Reliable, and (5) Ethical in all actions. As part of the program, the organizations will make available a fleet of agency vehicles for the clinical staff, the first home care organization in Central New York to do so. The vehicles will benefit both the VNA’s clinical staff and its patients. For the staff, using a fleet car will save wear and tear on their personal vehicles and ensure that they have a well-maintained vehicle at their disposal for patient visits. (By year-end, the VNA’s clinical staff will have traveled approximately 450,000 miles caring for more than 200 patients each day.) For patients, seeing an official, well-maintained VNA vehicle in the driveway means reliability, security and peace of mind.

Organization President and Chief Executive Officer Indi L. Shelby said, “For more than 115 years, the Visiting Nurse Association of Central New York, Inc. (VNA) has provided excellent home care services to clients. Our new “Keys” program represents a commitment to be the best in our field. We are announcing our program publicly to our patients and the community at large to illustrate our dedication to be the ultimate in home health care agencies. Our “Keys” program ensures that we deliver services to our patients/providers in a respectful, caring, competent, reliable, and ethical manner. But our performance standards apply to everyone – all care disciplines, the administration, management, and support staff, the Board of Directors, President/Chief Executive Officer, Professional Advisory Committee and the Continuous Quality Improvement Committee (CQI).” The VNA continuously assesses performance by closely monitoring Patient Satisfaction Surveys, Physician Satisfaction Surveys, Home Health Compare Data (a quality initiative led by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services), Acute Care Re-Hospitalization Rates, and Emergency Care Use Rates.

The VNA has chosen to make this announcement during National Home Care Month to highlight and celebrate the increasing importance of home care professionals. Each November, membership organizations such as the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC), Visiting Nurse Associations of America (VNAA), New York State Association of Health Care Providers, Inc., and the Home Care Association of New York State, Inc. celebrate National Home Care Month to honor health care administrators, nurses, clinicians, therapists, aides, homemakers and companions who make a remarkable difference in the lives of patients and their families. Home care professionals and volunteers, along with modern medicine and technology, make it possible for ill people to be cared for in their homes where they can be surrounded by loved ones in a familiar environment.

More than just providing excellent care where and when patients need and want it, home care saves the United States and commercial health insurers billions of health care dollars each year. There is no more cost-effective provider of health care. Through technological advances, home-delivered health care has grown far beyond basic professional nursing and home care aide services. Many of today's home care agencies are also comprised of clinical nurse specialists, nutritionists, occupational and physical therapists, speech language pathologists, and social workers. And many, including the VNA, have launched specialized programming that includes cardiac, diabetes, long term home health care, maternal and child, telehome care monitoring and wound care. When people struggle with a disability, deal with a chronic or terminal illness, or recover from a recent hospital stay, home care professional caregivers work diligently to keep people in their homes, where they belong.

Home care services are paid for by public and private sources, or directly by patients and their families. Third-party payers include commercial insurance and managed care organizations. Medicare and state-run Medicaid are significant payers, often driving the payment agenda for commercial insurance. Despite cutbacks in government funding, home care continues to be the preferred means of receiving quality health care services for millions of Americans.

VNA Systems, Inc. will celebrate National Home Care Month by hosting a press conference as a precursor to their employee retreat on Wednesday, November 14 at 1:15 PM at the Palace Theatre (2384 James Street) in Syracuse, where Senator John A. DeFrancisco will be included among those scheduled to appear and share words of support. Mayor Driscoll’s office will be on hand to proclaim November to be National Home Care Month in Syracuse. Representatives from the Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce will also present the VNA with a certificate of recognition as will be representatives from the County Executive’s Office and Onondaga County Health Department. Thomas A. Bersani, M.D., President of the Onondaga County Medical Society and Phyllis Wang, President of the New York State Association of Health Care Providers, Inc. are also slated to participate. At that time, the VNA will display a portion of its fleet of vehicles, and President and Chief Executive Officer Indi L. Shelby, RN, BSN, MS will be on hand for comments and questions.

About VNA Systems, Inc.

Visiting Nurse Association of Central New York, Inc. was founded in 1890 by Dr. Juliet Hanchett, M.D., Laura Mills Marlow, R.N. (the first graduated nurse in the city of Syracuse), and Aria Huntington. Today, VNA Systems, Inc., which includes Visiting Nurse Association of Central New York, Inc., Independent Health Care Services, Inc., and affiliate agency CCH Home Care & Palliative Services, Inc., employs nearly 300 people, and cares for more than four thousand patients. The Visiting Nurse Association of Central New York, Inc. was named to the 2006 HomeCare Elite, the inaugural compilation of the most successful Medicare-certified agencies whose performance measures in quality, improvement and financial performance are among the top 25% of providers nationwide. For more information, please visit www.vnacny.org

About Home Health Compare

Home Health Compare is a quality initiative led by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), using the Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS). The standard is regarded as a reliable indicator of how well a home care agency meets its patients' needs and contributes to their abilities to perform basic daily activities.

About National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC)

National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) is the nation's largest trade association representing the interests and concerns of home care agencies, hospices, home care aide organizations, and medical equipment suppliers.

About Visiting Nurse Associations of America (VNAA)

Visiting Nurse Associations of America (VNAA) is the official national association for not-for-profit, community based home health organizations known as Visiting Nurse Associations (VNAs). Visiting Nurse Associations (VNAs) created the profession of home health care more than 100 years ago. They have a united mission to bring compassionate, high-quality and cost-effective home care to individuals in their respective communities.

About New York State Association of Health Care Providers, Inc. (HCP)

New York State Association of Health Care Providers, Inc. (HCP) is a statewide trade association representing home care and community-based providers through advocacy, information and education. Founded in 1974, HCP represents approximately 500 offices of Licensed Home Care Services Agencies, Certified Home Health Agencies, Long Term Home Health Care Programs, Hospices and related health organizations throughout New York State.

About Home Care Association of New York State, Inc. (HCA)

The Home Care Association of New York State, Inc. (HCA) and its home health care provider members work to promote excellence and support high-quality, cost-effective home care and community services to the citizens of New York State. Their membership totals over 500 and includes provider agencies such as certified home health agencies, licensed care services agencies, personal care programs, long term home health care programs, home attendent programs, hospices, and others.

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