Forty years ago, four Butler County residents looked at national trends in health care and realized the need for less expensive, high-quality professional health care for their friends, family and neighbors.

Because of that, the Visiting Nursing Association (VNA), Western Pennsylvania was born.

Visiting nurse associations created the profession of home health care more than 100 years ago. These associations have a united mission to bring compassionate, high-quality and cost-effective home care to individuals.

With their long history of providing quality care, VNAs are recognized as an important resource that addresses the specific health care needs of their community.

In Butler County, business executive Ms. Jean Purvis, then Butler County Commissioner Mr. James A Green, philanthropist Mrs. Daniel Fitzpatrick, and radio personality. Larry Berg formed the VNA, Western Pennsylvania.

Those four understood that people with medical needs preferred to stay at home while receiving professional care instead of remaining in a hospital for an extended stay. Average hospital stays during the 1960s were upwards of 21 days.

Along with advancements in technology, home care has helped patients return home sooner to recover from an illness or injury. At home, patients are joined by the comforts of familiar surroundings, friends and family.

Because of the formation of the VNA, Western Pennsylvania, 24-hour-a-day care was offered in the home, whereas previously patients were required to remain in the hospital to receive professional health care.

During the early years, the VNA worked vigorously and averaged more than 74 patients per year. Growing throughout the decades, the VNAs founding four by 2005 has grown to more than 250 nurses, therapists and personnel who visit about 4,500 patients per year.

The VNA has since expanded its service area from Butler County to the greater Pittsburgh area, including Armstrong, Butler and northern Westmoreland counties and portions of Lawrence, Beaver, Mercer and Allegheny counties.

The VNA, Western Pennsylvania provides home health care for patients of all ages. They teach community members about disease prevention and health promotion.

Patients are extremely satisfied with the care they receive from the VNA, Western Pennsylvania. Ninety percent of all customers surveyed rated the VNA services at 100 percent.

Today, the mission to provide high quality, physician-prescribed home health care guides the VNA, Western Pennsylvania.

Home care has become a vital part of the health care continuum and the VNA, Western Pennsylvania is proud to partner with physicians to help citizens stay home when they need care, where they prefer to be.

VNA, Foundation and Services is the parent company of VNA, Western Pennsylvania; VNA Hospice; VNA, Medical Equipment and Supplies; VNA, Complete Care, and VNA, HomeTech.

It is headquartered at 154 Hindman Road, Butler.

For information please call 724-282-6806 or 1-877-VNA-ONLY.