On Feb. 15, 1979, Albert Gallatin Home Care & Hospice admitted its first patient for home care service in Fayette County, setting into motion a history of growth and a caring tradition of service, compassion and support.

In February 1987, AGHC opened its office serving Butler County under the name BAHRD Home Health Services.

More than 4.5 million visits later, the Medicare-certified home care and hospice agency celebrates 25 years of health care service to acutely and terminally ill residents of southwestern Pennsylvania. In this 25 years, AGHC has provided home care services to more than 108,000 acutely ill, homebound patients. Medicare-certified hospice care has been provided to more than 7,000 terminally ill patients and their families.

AGHC's 29 employees and 6 volunteers in the Butler office reflect with pride on the agency's growth from an operation of one office serving Fayette County to five branch offices and an administrative office serving Butler, Allegheny, Fayette, Greene, Washington and Westmoreland Counties.

The Butler County branch office at 201 S. Duffy Road in Butler provides services to all of Butler County and the northern portions of Allegheny County. The staff provides a range of physician-directed home care and hospice services to meet the region's diverse health care needs.

Nursing services and all hospice services are offered seven-days-a-week with 24-hour accessibility so patients can receive health care in their own homes, under the care of their own physicians.

AGHC accepts new service referrals seven days-a-week. AGHC accepts reimbursement from Medicare, Medicaid, most commercial insurances and workers' compensation.

AGHC is a network provider under most of the region's managed care plans, including Highmark, Keystone, HealthAmerica, Health Assurance, Advantra, MedPlus+, Gateway Health Plan and UPMC Health Plan.

For information, call 724-284-4663; call toll-free at 800-245-4144, or visit the AGHC Web site at www.aghomecare.com.