As the health system that would become Forbes Hospital began growing in the 1970s, following the merger of Wilkinsburg’s Columbia Hospital and Pittsburgh Hospital in the city’s East Liberty neighborhood, it had a dedicated hospice facility.

“Over the years, that shifted to a floor at West Penn Hospital, and eventually became care in individual rooms,” said Forbes Hospital President Dr. Mark Rubino. “But along the way, we also started to build a palliative care team.”

Now, thanks to $750,000 in combined funding from the Forbes Health Foundation and a donation from foundation board chairman Ed Little, the Monroeville hospital was able to remodel a portion of its 16-bed oncology wing into one suite and two rooms dedicated to palliative and hospice care.

“In addition to all of the challenges that come along with end-of-life care, it was even more difficult during covid, for us as well as for families,” Rubino said.

In recent years, Little lost two members of his family, whose end-of-life care took place in standard hospital rooms. Rubino and Little got together and worked with their nursing department to create a more nurturing environment for those situations.

The suite has an expanded patient area with a couch that pulls out into a bed, adjustable lighting, and an area where family members, friends or visitors can relax or have a private talk with doctors.

“One of our first patients in the suite was an EMT, and we were able to accommodate family, friends and colleagues with the new suite,” said Forbes nurse manager Paula Bertetto.

The renovation also includes a lounge area for family members and visitors.

“It’s a lot quieter than many of other nursing units,” Forbes nursing director Jill Direnzo said.

Rubino said he couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity Little and the foundation offered.

“It shows that we’re a community hospital at heart, and the community is supporting our mission,” he said.

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