The STRP Palliative Medicine Program currently provides services at Moses Taylor Hospital, Mercy Hospital, Allied Rehabilitation Hospital and the Gino Merli Veterans' Center. Our Palliative Care Program provides specialists who work with you to help with any symptom related to your illness. In addition, they can help you with serious medical decisions, with practical needs, and with fears and anxieties. Our palliative care specialists are highly trained and experienced. They are dedicated to you and your family and will work closely with your primary doctor.
Our palliative care services include:
Cooperative Treatments
The specialists in our Palliative Care Program collaborate with your doctor to recommend treatment for you. A wide range of medical treatment is available for symptoms such as pain, nausea, shortness of breath, and other distressing symptoms.
Supportive Care
Our Palliative Care Program can help you to decide on personal treatment goals and choose among treatment options. We can help you plan for discharge from the hospital and for palliative care after you leave.
Medical Decision Making
When you live with serious illness, you and your family may face hard choices. You may feel the need for specialized assistance to consider the options presented to you. Experts are available through the Palliative Care Program to help you and your family to make difficult decisions about the end of life and treatment issues.
The STRP Palliative Medicine Consult Service is committed to research, education, and excellence in end-of- life care. You can help support the STRP Palliative Medicine Consult Service with your charitable gift. Checks may be made payable to:
746 Jefferson Avenue
Scranton, PA 18510
Palliative Care Program Team Members
Dr. Vincent Jay Vanston, MD
(Program Director)
Dr. Vanston served as the medical director of the Mercy Hospice Program from 1995—2006. He is an associate program director of the STRP. After receiving his bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering from Lehigh University, he went on to complete his medical school training at Temple University in 1989. In addition to board certification in Internal Medicine, he recertified in the specialty of Hospice and Palliative Medicine in 2004.
Mary Lawhon Triano, MSN, CRNP-C
Mary Lawhon Triano received her Masters of Science in Nursing from the University of Scranton in 1999. In addition to twelve years as a critical care nurse, Mary has over seven years experience as a family nurse practitioner. She currently serves as the clinical nurse practitioner for the palliative care medicine program.
Bruna Cruciani, RN
Bruna Cruciani-Evans, BSN brings over thirty years of nursing and management experience to the Palliative Medicine Program. After receiving her RN degree from Mercy Hospital, she went on to obtain her BSN from Misericordia in 1975. She has had extensive clinical and management experience at Mercy Hospital. In addition to oncology care, she has also provided her experience and expertise to the department of case management. In addition to her work with the Palliative Medicine Program, she currently oversees Patient Advocacy at Mercy Hospital.