PLANETREE VIDEO FINALIST FOR NATIONAL AWARD

Derby, CT - Planetree, Inc., the non-profit organization dedicated to demystifying, humanizing, and personalizing healthcare, has been voted as one of four national finalists for the 1999 Vision Award. The video, titled “Planetree: Patient Centered Healing Healthcare”, was entered into the competition by the producers, Hilltop Productions, Inc. of Hartford.

The Vision Award is a national competition sponsored by the Waco Ad Club and is designed to select the best local and regional television commercials and video presentations created by advertising agencies, production studios and television stations in the United States. Entries in 41 categories are judged for creativity, production quality, copywriting and concept, talent and overall effectiveness. A panel of judges with backgrounds in creating and producing television commercials and video programs judge and rate each entry. This year there were almost 700 entries from 289 companies.

Planetree -- a not-for-profit subsidiary of Griffin Health Services Corporation in Derby, Connecticut -- was founded 20 years ago by Angelica Thieriot; an Argentinean appalled by what she felt was cold, impersonal, dehumanizing medical care when she was hospitalized in the United States for a rare virus. Thieriot began a crusade that resulted in the founding of Planetree, which is dedicated to improving the hospital experience for patients and their families through its' patient centered approach which supports healing of the mind, body and spirit. Currently there are over 33 U.S. affiliates in the rapidly growing Planetree. Planetree Affiliate Griffin Hospital is also a subsidiary of Griffin Health Services.

For more information about the Planetree organization or to obtain a copy of the video, contact Planetree at (866) 732-1364, or email your address to Planetree.