VITAS Healthcare, one of the largest providers of hospice and palliative care services in the U.S., has announced the promotion of several executives to key positions within its leadership team.
Announced Tuesday, the promotions bump Kathleen Coronado, Anthony Cosma, Mario De La Rosa and Angela Hamrick up to vice president roles at VITAS. Broadly, the staffing changes reflect the provider’s commitment to creating career ladders and enhancing operational effectiveness within the organization.
That commitment, in turn, resulted in the Miami-based VITAS hitting its stride heading into 2024, according to CEO Nick Westfall.
“We’re hitting on all cylinders, including, just as importantly, everything we’re investing from a human capital and cultural standpoint back at our individual locations,” Westfall said during his company’s third quarter earnings call last fall.
Kathleen Coronado, a registered nurse, has been promoted to associate VP of hospice operations after 18 years at VITAS. Starting out as a bedside nurse in 2006, Coronado has held multiple roles within VITAS, including team manager, inpatient unit manager and patient care administrator.
Anthony Cosma II, a 12-year veteran of VITAS, assumes the role of VP of hospice operations. Having joined the company in 2012, Cosma has steadily progressed through the ranks, leading teams across clinical and operations departments. His new responsibilities involve overseeing hospice teams in Southern Florida.
“This new role enables him to broaden his reach and continue fostering people development by enhancing their skills, knowledge and potential across clinical and operations teams,” a press release from VITAS explained.
Meanwhile, Mario De La Rosa has been appointed VP of HME operations, leading the Home Medical Equipment division. De La Rosa’s two-decades-long tenure at VITAS has seen him take on various roles, including warehouse supervisor and national operations manager.
“He is responsible for continuing to evolve the level of internal collaboration among the HME business and operations teams, providing leadership across several key initiatives that drive continuous improvement, and increase efficiency through medical supply delivery and management,” the press release detailed.
HME is a critical but often overlooked aspect of hospice services. At about 80% of its locations, VITAS maintains its own HME, delivery and staff, which allows the provider to improve timely HME access for its patients.
Lastly, Angela Hamrick is taking on a VP of hospice operations role, overseeing teams in Northern Florida. Hamrick joined VITAS in 2021 as the general manager in Gainesville.
“She was quickly promoted to senior general manager for Citrus County and the Nature Coast – Alachua, Bradford, Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Suwannee and Union counties – leading her teams to deliver patient and family care with excellence and expanding access to hospice care across the region,” the VITAS press release noted.
As a company, VITAS and its 10,537 staff members provide care to over 19,000 patients daily, throughout 14 states and the District of Columbia.
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