MELVILLE, N.Y., Dec. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Gentiva Health Services, Inc. , the nation's largest provider of comprehensive home health services, announced today that it has launched a new, national Cardiopulmonary Program to prevent the progression of heart- and lung-related diseases, assist patients and their physicians in managing those diseases, and control costs for health insurers by limiting or eliminating the need for institutional care. The Company has already opened seven Cardiopulmonary Program locations in five states, including three in Florida, and more are planned in 2005.
Under the new program, specially trained Gentiva care teams work closely with physicians to provide patients with a wide variety of disease management choices, including early detection and intervention; thorough evaluation of current medications for possible interactions and side effects; lifestyle adaptation, including a wellness journal to chart day-to-day progress; identification of environmental triggers; a walking program to build strength and mobility; and daily in-home health monitoring.
"Heart and lung disease are two of America's most common health issues," said Cathy Newhouse, Gentiva Vice President, Specialty Programs, "and they can lead to serious consequences when they go undetected and untreated. Our new and expanding program can help patients and their physicians manage heart and lung health at home, where most patients would prefer to be. It is designed to limit the progression of certain diseases, reduce the need for hospitalization and, thus, control costs at a time of soaring national health expenditures."
Newhouse cited a National Institutes of Health (NIH) study released earlier this year showing that elderly heart patients had a better quality of life and fewer hospital readmissions when they received specialized nursing care through their hospital stay and at home following hospital discharge. The study revealed that such a program resulted in a nearly 38% savings in Medicare costs. For more information on the study, please visit the NIH site at http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/may2004/ninr-12.htm. Gentiva's Cardiopulmonary Program services are covered by Medicare, Medicaid and many health insurance companies.
This new program joins two other Gentiva specialty services available in more than 100 locations nationwide that are expanding the range and scope -- and enhancing the positive perception -- of healthcare services that can be delivered in the home. They include:
* The Gentiva Orthopedic Program, now in 22 states, to help patients recover at home after bone or joint replacements and other similar surgeries, eliminating or limiting the time they would normally have to spend in institutional care following the surgery; and * Gentiva Safe Strides(SM), now in nine states, designed to improve the lives of patients at risk for injuries related to falls, and control the cost of treatment and injuries for patients with balance dysfunction who are prone to falling.
The Company also operates Gentiva Rehab Without Walls(R) in 10 states, providing innovative home and community based neurorehabilitation services for patients with traumatic brain injury, injury from cerebrovascular accidents, and acquired brain injury, as well as a number of other complex cases, diseases and disorders.
"As America faces healthcare challenges, Gentiva's strategies and initiatives are having a positive effect on the way patients, physicians and insurers perceive home healthcare as a solution for some of these national problems," said Gentiva President and COO Al Perry. "We have taken the lead by demonstrating the effectiveness of these specialized programs in raising patient and physician satisfaction, and controlling costs. In fact, we have had good initial feedback from physicians regarding the Cardiopulmonary Program. A doctor can now feel safer and more comfortable in discharging heart and lung patients to their homes with the knowledge that Gentiva will be there to help achieve the desired health outcomes." Perry noted that the Company's well-established Orthopedic Program was developed with the collaboration of more than 200 orthopedic surgeons around the country.
About Gentiva Health Services, Inc.
Gentiva Health Services, Inc. is the nation's largest provider of comprehensive home health services. Gentiva serves patients through more than 350 direct service delivery units within approximately 250 locations in 35 states, and through CareCentrix(R), which manages home healthcare services for many major managed care organizations throughout the United States and delivers them in all 50 states through a network of more than 2,000 third-party provider locations, as well as Gentiva locations. The Company is a single source for skilled nursing; physical, occupational, speech and neuro-rehabilitation services; social work; nutrition; disease management education; and help with daily living activities, as well as other therapies and services. Gentiva's revenues are generated from commercial insurance, federal and state government programs and individual consumers. For more information, visit Gentiva's web site, http://www.gentiva.com/, and its investor relations section at http://www.gentiva.com/investor.
Forward-Looking Statement
Certain statements contained in this news release, including, without limitation, statements containing the words "believes," "anticipates," "intends," "expects," "assumes," "trends" and similar expressions, constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based upon the Company's current plans, expectations and projections about future events. However, such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, general economic and business conditions; demographic changes; changes in, or failure to comply with, existing governmental regulations; legislative proposals for health care reform; changes in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement levels; effects of competition in the markets the Company operates in; liability and other claims asserted against the Company; ability to attract and retain qualified personnel; availability and terms of capital; loss of significant contracts or reduction in revenues associated with major payer sources; ability of customers to pay for services; business disruption due to natural disasters or terrorist acts; a material shift in utilization within capitated agreements; and changes in estimates and judgments associated with critical accounting policies. For a detailed discussion of these and other factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in this news release, please refer to the Company's various filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the "risk factors" section contained in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 28, 2003.
Contact: David Fluhrer 631-501-7102 516-857-7231 david.fluhrer@gentiva.com
Gentiva Health Services, Inc.CONTACT: David Fluhrer of Gentiva Health Services, Inc.,+1-631-501-7102, or +1-516-857-7231, david.fluhrer@gentiva.com