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Home Nursing Agency made an impact on a national level with acknowledgement from Visiting Nurse Associations of America and Easter Seals, including: Home Nursing Agency Medical Director John Sheedy, M.D. was selected as the 2004 Volunteer Board Member of the Year from the Visiting Nurse Association of America. Dr. Sheedy received national recognition during VNAA's 23rd Annual Meeting in New Orleans. Home Nursing Agency Senior Vice President of Administration Rebecca Willnecker was chosen by the Visiting Nurse Association of America to participate in a national advisory council focusing on health insurance initiatives and cost-saving solutions. Easter Seals Central Pennsylvania 2003-2004 Ambassador Lindsey Connelly was chosen as the National Easter Seals Child Representative for 2004-2005. Home Nursing Agency reinforced its strong financial performance of prior years while exhibiting growth in all services and programs by serving over 19,000 individuals during the past year throughout various counties, including Blair, Bedford, Cambria, Centre, Huntingdon, Franklin and Fulton. More than 600 employees, retirees and board members joined to celebrate and reflect on Home Nursing Agency's 35-year history. National speaker and President/CEO of Fazzi Associates Dr. Robert Fazzi commended employees and boards for creating an exceptional culture known for its versatility and strength. Participation in an independent study from the Great Place to Work Institute, Inc. on the quality of workplace practices and culture demonstrating the Agency's core principle of ensuring employee satisfaction through the creation and maintenance of a great workplace. Results from the employee survey and culture audit determined Home Nursing Agency's inclusion as one of Pennsylvania's Best Places to Work in the large company category. The new Palliative Care Program, developed in conjunction with Altoona Hospital, assists and provides care to individuals with a serious chronic illness while offering a bridge between an aggressive pursuit of curative treatment and the philosophy of living as comfortably as possible. Collaboration with the Blair County Healthy Community Partnership addressed Hepatitis C prevention, screening, education, treatment and post-diagnosis management and support. Hospice staff engaged in research with Penn State University's School of Nursing. Hospice caregivers participated in the study "Living With Uncertainty: Caregiving at the End-of-Life." The purpose of the research is to understand what is entailed when providing end-of-life care and help nurses become better prepared to help caregivers. Center for Counseling developed complementary therapy services, including massage, aromatherapy and advanced stress management techniques for both clients and families. The Agency participated in additional telemedicine research funded by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Empowering Elders through Technology. The research will assist the homecare market in determining self-care outcomes of patients with congestive heart failure when utilizing telehomecare technology. The Ebensburg office building was acquired and renovated to utilize the Agency's strategic advantage of diversity in cross-promoting services by bringing together various service lines in one visible, central location. This new location provides the most effective access to all of Cambria County. The Home Nursing Agency Foundation raised more than $40,000 to benefit the hospice program, through a very successful Summer Party and Mercedes Moment. Foundation dollars benefit patients throughout Central Pennsylvania with little or no ability to pay for care. A leadership model was created to empower the management team and emphasize local leadership, civic responsibility and responsiveness. The Agency provided over $16,000 in tuition assistance for employees to pursue personal growth and development opportunities. Home Care Options initiated agreement with American Academy of Pediatrics to provide on-site child care and health consultation at child day care facilities. Pediatric Private Duty significantly increased hours of service and credibility with referral sources; 99.4 percent of families responding to customer satisfaction surveys ranked the program's nurses and home health aides with exceptionally high marks. Easter Seals Central Pennsylvania merged with Easter Seals of Franklin and Adams Counties to increase access to services and programs; added 50 employees. Easter Seals Central Pennsylvania assumed operational leadership in a partnership with Day Care Services of Blair County to promote and embrace the opportunity to provide child daycare and after-school services in Blair County. Women, Infants and Children (WIC) received two grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop nutritional education and outreach and to install a Reminder Pro System in all four WIC sites in Blair and Centre counties to notify families of upcoming appointments. Three WIC staff members received statewide recognition for years of service during WIC's 30th Anniversary Celebration in Pittsburgh. Nurse-Family Partnership staff presented a workshop to complement the NFP curriculum during a statewide conference sponsored by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, the National Nurse-Family Partnership and Public/Private Ventures. Celebrated the first anniversary of NOVIUS implementation throughout Home Nursing Agency's network. NOVIUS is a more navigable, accurate and HIPAA compliant software designed to improve entry of patient/client information.