Virginia Hospital Week 2017 (May 7-13) Offers Opportunity to Celebrate Virginia Hospitals’ Vital Importance to the Commonwealth as Essential Health Care Providers

May 5, 2017

VHHA Releases new REVIEW Magazine Edition Highlighting Hospital Stories, Launches ‘Patients Come First’ Podcast Series Profiling Health Care Professionals, Shares Gubernatorial Proclamation Recognizing how Hospitals Promote Public Well-Being Through Health Care Quality Initiatives, Support Health Care Access, and Boost the Economy

RICHMOND, VA – Across the nation and in the Commonwealth of Virginia, May 7-13, 2017 is Hospital Week, an opportunity to celebrate the great work done by Virginia’s local hospitals and health systems each day. Virginia is home to a high-quality network of health care providers that support public access to health care, achieve medical breakthroughs and advancements, employ thousands of Virginians in good-paying jobs, and generate billions in positive economic contributions to the state. As legislation approved by the  2015 Virginia General Assembly legislation formalizing state recognition of Hospital Week put it, “Hospitals and health systems in the Commonwealth play an integral role in providing vital health care services to all Virginians, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.”

“The Commonwealth is fortunate to have a network of world class hospitals that prioritize health care quality, safety, and service,” said Michael V. Gentry, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Sentara Healthcare and Chair of the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association (VHHA) Board of Directors. “Virginia’s hospital community is committed to improving health care and ensuring Virginians have access to essential health services when needed. Hospitals are always open, no matter the time or day, to provide that medical attention. In 2015, Virginia hospitals accommodated more than 3.6 million emergency department visits, experienced nearly 790,000 inpatient admissions, and delivered more than 94,000 babies. As providers of vital health services and as economic drivers, hospitals are cornerstones for the Commonwealth.”

VHHA is celebrating Hospital Week by promoting hospital and health system good news stories through its newly released podcast, Patients Come First, and the latest issue of REVIEW Magazine featuring stories from hospitals and health systems around the Commonwealth. “Patients Come First” is a refrain that encapsulates the patient-centric approach Virginia’s community hospitals and health systems take to delivering individualized care. That ideal is evident in all the health care quality and safety improvement work occurring in Virginia hospitals through programs focused on reducing preventable hospital readmissions, eliminating patient harm events, combatting infections, reducing early elective deliveries, enhancing patient and family hospital experiences, and much more.

Episodes of the Patients Come First podcast can be heard on VHHA’s website, and are available through SoundCloud, among other podcast sites. The latest edition of REVIEW Magazine highlighting Virginia hospital stories for Hospital Week 2017 can be read online here. VHHA also promotes the countless good news stories happening each day at hospitals and health systems throughout the Commonwealth via Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Through these channels, VHHA shines a spotlight on hospitals, health systems, and health care providers who deliver compassionate care to patients in Virginia.

“During Hospital Week, VHHA is honored to share powerful stories about the ways in which our health systems and their hospitals go above and beyond to treat, educate, and help patients and the communities they serve,” said VHHA President and CEO Sean T. Connaughton. “Stories of compassionate, exceptional care can be found each day at community hospitals across Virginia. They may sometimes go unheralded publicly, but they matter immensely to the patients and families who experience the devotion of our many committed health care providers working in Virginia. In addition to direct care, and quality improvement efforts, Virginia hospitals support a wide array of community programs, including health screenings, immunizations, health fairs and educational programs, among other activities. Virginia hospitals directly employ 125,600 people, generate $38 billion in positive economic activity for the state, spend more than $18 million on goods and services with local businesses, and provide $2.92 billion in community support.”*

Virginia Hospital Week was formally recognized in 2015 when then-state Senator John Watkins (R-Powhatan County) sponsored legislation designating the second week of May that year and each subsequent year as “Virginia Hospital Week.” This year, Hospital Week is being recognized with a proclamation from Governor Terry McAuliffe. Virginia Hospital Week is also featured on the latest episode of “This Week in Richmond” featuring an interview with Bon Secours Virginia Health System Chief Executive Officer Toni R. Ardabell and VHHA Vice President of Quality and Patient Safety Abraham Segres.

*Data reflects 2015 figures

About VHHA: The Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association is an alliance of 107 hospitals and 30 health delivery systems that develops and advocates for sound health care policy in the Commonwealth. Its mission is to achieve excellence in both health care and health. Its vision is through the power of collaboration to be recognized as a driving force behind making Virginia the healthiest state in the nation. Connect with VHHA through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and ISupportVirginiaHospitals.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Julian Walker
Vice President of Communications
(804) 297-3193 office
(804) 304-7402 mobile
jtwalker@vhha.com