Vidant Home Health and Hospice names new medical director | Eastern North Carolina Now

News Release:

    GREENVILLE, NC     Dr. Tae Joon Lee has been named medical director of Vidant Home Health, Hospice and Palliative Care. Bringing nearly 10 years of experience in end-of-life care in eastern North Carolina, Dr. Lee's role supports the growth of high quality home, palliative and end-of-life care throughout Vidant Health.

    "Home Health and Hospice provides a holistic approach to care at a time that is most critical for patients and families," said Debra Thompson, vice president of care coordination for Vidant Health. "Whether needing skilled nursing or therapy to recuperate at home, faced with a chronic or advanced illness, or approaching the end of life, patients allow us to enter their lives at a vulnerable time. We are excited to have Dr. Lee join our team to provide the medical direction for the continued high quality care provided by our staff."

    Dr. Lee's background uniquely prepares him to lead home-based and end-of-life services at Vidant. He received his medical degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, followed by residency and fellowship training in family medicine and geriatrics at Swedish Medical Center, Seattle, Washington. He joined the faculty of The Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University in 2005, focusing on geriatrics and serving as medical director of Golden Living Center, a skilled nursing facility in Greenville.

    Dr. Lee holds advanced certifications in family medicine and geriatrics. As part of the medical school faculty, he has been involved in training the next generation of physicians to provide meaningful care for patients and families dealing with end-of-life issues.

    "I've learned to appreciate the power of comforting words and gestures to the people who live with serious illnesses," said Dr. Lee. "At Vidant, I've found a team of professionals working together to provide the best medical, personal and spiritual care to treat the entire person and their family, rather than just the disease."

    Vidant Home Health and Hospice serves patients and families in 13 counties and continues to be the superior quality performer in eastern NC for home health according to Medicare Home Health Compare, www.medicare.gov/homehealthcompare. For more information about Vidant Home Health and Hospice, visit www.vidanthealth.com/hospice or www.vidanthealth.com/homehealth.

   Contact: Amy Holcombe, Vidant Health Corporate Communications,

     amy.holcombe@vidanthealth.com  •  (252) 847-2725

    Vidant Health, a mission-driven, not-for-profit corporation, owns, leases or has a majority membership interest in nine eastern North Carolina hospitals and has a management agreement with one other. The health system includes Albemarle Health, Vidant Beaufort Hospital, Vidant Bertie Hospital, Vidant Chowan Hospital, Vidant Duplin Hospital, Vidant Edgecombe Hospital, The Outer Banks Hospital, Vidant Medical Center, Vidant Pungo Hospital, Vidant Roanoke-Chowan Hospital, Vidant Home Health and Hospice, Vidant Wellness Centers, Vidant Medical Group and is affiliated with the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. On the web at www.vidanthealth.com