VHHA Awards

Virginia is a state full of winners in the health care field. Some have excelled in the public eye; others have performed wonders quietly.

To recognize these individuals and entities,  VHHA has three award programs: Community Benefit Award, Health and Wellbeing Award and the Outstanding Service Awards.

Community Benefit Award

The VHHA Community Benefit Award Program was created in 2008 to recognize member organizations that have aided their communities in extraordinary ways. It was founded on the belief that the partnerships between a hospital and its community are necessary to build and sustain health. Through these efforts, the infrastructure is created to bring about changes needed to improve the health and well-being of the community. See a list of past recipients.

Nomination Process

The VHHA Community Benefit Award program is open to all VHHA institutional members. All nominated programs must have been implemented by a VHHA institutional member or one of its affiliates and the majority of the population served must be Virginians.

Call for Entries 2013 (PDF)

To be considered, programs/activities must have been ongoing for at least one year prior to December 1, 2012. VHHA welcomes the nomination of long-standing programs and encourages submission of all programs that fit the criteria outlined below. Short-term and one-day programs and special events are not eligible.

Submission of a nomination indicates approval for VHHA to use the nomination materials in its publications and through other venues.

To be considered, applicants must complete the one-page cover sheet application provided in the brochure and provide accompanying description of program as detailed below that should be typed, single-spaced, no smaller than 11-point font and no longer than six pages in length.

Entries must be mailed by February 19, 2013:

Entries Should Include and Will Be Evaluated Upon:

• A brief overview of your organization and the community it serves.

• The specific health care need or problem that was addressed, how it was identified, the short- and long-term goals of the program designed to address the need and the desired outcomes.

• Detail how the program was evaluated and determined to have met the identified needs of the population.

  • Provide statistics on all applicable program measures, including outcomes, annual cost, and quantifiable improvements in health status. Include information on barriers (if applicable) in implementing the program.

  • Describe strategies that are being used (or will be used, if this was the first year of the program) to assess the program’s effectiveness. This should include quantifiable outcomes that demonstrate health status improvements.

• The origin of the organization’s commitment to the program, what has sustained this commitment (unless it is the first year of the program) and how it will be maintained in the future. How does this align with your strategic plan?

• If applicable, identify community partners, all sources of funding and other resources relied upon to support the program and how these resources were utilized.

• Include photos with captions as applicable.

Winner Selection

Nominations are evaluated and chosen by an outside panel of judges.

Presentation of Awards

2013 VHREF Spring Conference
April 10-12
Williamsburg Lodge, Williamsburg, Virginia

Health and Wellbeing Award

The VHHA Health and Wellbeing Award Program was created in 2012 to recognize member organizations that are engaging in activities and initiatives to improve the health and wellbeing of their employees while lowering costs, increasing efficiency, raising quality and maintaining a stable workforce. This awards program will honor VHHA members that are proactively improving the wellness and health of their employees, no matter the size of the program. Awards will be given in two categories: all-encompassing programs or initiatives and targeted programs or initiatives.

Nomination Process

The VHHA Health and Wellbeing Award program is open to all VHHA institutional members. All nominated programs must have been ongoing for at least one year prior to January 1, 2012. An eligible program will be either an all-encompassing hospital/health system health and wellness program/initiative or a targeted program/initiative that is part of the all-encompassing program/initiative. Members may submit multiple nominations on separate entry forms.

Call for Entries 2013 (PDF)

To be considered, programs/activities must have been ongoing for at least one year prior to December 1 of the current calendar year. VHHA welcomes the nomination of long-standing programs and encourages submission of all programs that fit the criteria outlined below.

To be considered, applicants must complete the one-page cover sheet application provided in the brochure and a detailed description of how the nominee meets each criterion. Accompanying description of criteria shall total no more than eight pages in length, typed, single-spaced in minimum 11-point font.

Entries must be mailed by February 19, 2013:

Criteria:

• Management Buy-in/Participation: Explain how senior staff recognizes the benefits of the program for staff and the hospital/health system and their willingness to support and fund its design, implementation and evaluation.

• Wellness Team: If you have a wellness team, detail participation of employees and others on the team and their roles in establishing, implementing and evaluating the program.

• Operating Plan: Does your program/initiative include a mission statement with specific measurable short- and long-term goals? Is your program/initiative success tied to the hospital/health system strategic plan? Explain.

• Data Collection: Do you assess worker wellness interests and risks to determine what types of programs to provide? Does the hospital/health system survey employees to gauge interest in employee wellness programs and provide risk assessments and claims review to determine employee disease risk? Detail what data you collect and how it is analyzed.

• Programs: Does the program/initiative flow naturally from data collected to objectives? Explain.

• Supportive Environments: Does your hospital/health system provide encouragement, opportunity and incentives (healthy vending food options, tobacco-free environment, assistance with quitting tobacco, flexible work schedules for exercise, etc.) to assist program participants in their efforts? Explain.

• Evaluation: Do you periodically review goals of the program/initiative to determine if required results/goals are being met? Explain.

• Outcomes: Share successes on employee enrollment, engagement, improvements and satisfaction and, if applicable, how programs have affected absenteeism, health insurance costs, etc. 

Winner Selection

Nominations are evaluated and chosen by an outside panel of judges.

Presentation of Awards

2013 VHREF Spring Conference
April 10-12
Williamsburg Lodge, Williamsburg, Virginia

Outstanding Service Awards

The Outstanding Service Awards recognize individuals who have made a real difference to Virginia's hospitals and health systems, and with that, health care in general, by giving their time, energy and themselves. See a list of past recipients. Nomination information for 2013 will be sent out in June.

Awards Criteria

Distinguished Service

The Distinguished Service Award is given to past or present chief executive officers of member institutions who have long records of performing outstanding, valuable, or unique services to the hospital community. These individuals have made exemplary contributions to the hospital and health system community through leadership, management, education, research or service.

Meritorious Service

The Meritorious Service Award honors people – other than chief executive officers – affiliated with member institutions who have a history of making significant contributions to the health care field – on both a state and local level – through commitment to service and leadership. Nominees must be recognized as leaders in health care management and policy issues and be involved in health care from the perspective of management, trusteeship or providing support for delivering health care services.

Excellence in Governance

The Excellence in Governance Award honors persons from member hospital or health system governing bodies who have a history of making significant contributions to the health care field – on both a state and local level – through commitment to service and leadership. Nominees must be or have been involved in health care from the governance perspective.

See a list of past recipients.

Nomination Process

Any representative from a VHHA institutional member may nominate an individual. Nominations should be submitted on the brochure. Include a resumé and a one-page narrative summarizing the candidate’s accomplishments and stating the reasons for the nomination. Letters of recommendation and other supporting materials may be attached. Telephone nominations are not eligible.

Entries must be received by Friday, August 17, 2012:

Winner Selection

Nominations are evaluated and chosen by the VHHA Nominations Committee. The committee reserves the right not to present an award in any category.

Presentation of 2013 Awards

VHHA Annual Meeting
October 30-November 1
The Homestead, Hot Springs, Virginia