Virtua Health

Company
company_name = Virtua Health
company_
company_type = Non Profit Organization
slogan =
foundation = Southern New Jersey, U.S. 1998
location = Marlton, New Jersey
key_people = Rich Miller President/CEO
Jim Dwyer Executive Vice President/CMO
Ninfa Saunders Executive Vice President of Health Services
industry = Healthcare
products =
homepage = [http://www.virtua.org Virtua Health]

Virtua Health is a comprehensive health system headquartered in southern New Jersey. The campuses consist of four hospitals located in Berlin, Mount Holly, Marlton and Voorhees Township. In addition to the hospitals, there are two outpatient surgery centers, Summit Surgical and Memorial Surgical. Virtua has two outpatient rehabilitation and nursing centers, Virtua Rehab Berlin and Virtua Rehab Mt. Holly. There is also one outpatient health center located in Camden and one health and fitness center, the William G. Roher Center.

History

In October 1998, Memorial Health Alliance and West Jersey Health System merged to create the largest healthcare provider in South Jersey. Current President and CEO Richard Miller lead the merger [http://www.virtua.org/page.cfm?nav_id=59 " www.virtua.org/aboutus "] ] . Miller instituted the philosophies and values currently used by the company. He also adopted the widely used business strategy known as Six Sigma, making Virtua one of the first healthcare systems to use its problem-solving techniques BNET [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2007_Feb_14/ai_n27149616 "bNET.com"] ] . Virtua’s stated philosophy is to provide the best patient experience through its STAR initiative. Through STAR, they attempt to practice quality health care and outstanding medical service [ Dr. H. James Harrington, Dr. Brett E. Trusko , Carolyn Pexton , and Praveen Gupta . Improving Healthcare Quality and Cost with Six Sigma. 1st ed. Saddle River: FT P, 2007. ] .

The STAR Initiative

STAR launched in 2000, two years after the conception of Virtua. The idea behind the initiative was to provide employees with a framework to carry out the company’s philosophy: providing an "outstanding patient experience." There are five ideas to support the philosophy, each represented by one point on the star. The five points are Excellent Service, Caring Culture, Best People, Resource Stewardship and Highest Clinical Quality and Safety [ Dr. H. James Harrington, Dr. Brett E. Trusko , Carolyn Pexton , and Praveen Gupta . Improving Healthcare Quality and Cost with Six Sigma. 1st ed. Saddle River: FT P, 2007. ] ["Health Care Conference Administrators, L.L.C" http://www.ehcca.com/presentations/qualitycolloquium4/mcgann_2a.pdf ] .

Hospitals

Berlin

Virtua West Jersey Hospital Berlin has 95 beds. In 2004, Virtua Berlin opened South Jersey’s first Acute Care for the Elderly Unit. In 1966, the West Jersey Health System purchased the hospital, and in 1998 it became known as Virtua West Jersey Hospital Berlin.

Mt. Holly (Memorial)

Virtua Memorial Hospital Burlington County has 433 beds. Most of the births that take place at Virtua happen either here or at the hospital in Voorhees. Specialty programs include a sleep center, diabetes education and treatment including wound care, asthma management and cardiac rehabilitation.

Marlton

Virtua West Jersey Hospital Marlton has 188 beds. The hospital has specialty programs including arthritis management and joint replacement surgery, diabetes education and treatment, asthma management and cardiac catherization. Formerly Garden State Community Hospital, Virtua Marlton was purchased in 1982 by what was then, West Jersey Health System.

Voorhees

Virtua West Jersey Hospital Voorhees has 336 beds and together with the hospital in Mt. Holly, Virtua delivers more babies than at any other of the Virtua facilities. In 1973, Virtua Voorhees was built in Voorhees, NJ, in Camden County. The Voorhees campus also consists on the Summit Surgical Center and the Barry D. Brown Health Education Center, among other buildings.

Outpatient Centers

Virtua Ambulatory Surgery Center

Memorial Surgical is a licensed ambulatory surgical center on the campus of Virtua Memorial Hospital Burlington County. Outpatient surgery (also called same day surgery) is performed in the facility. The center also takes part in performance improvement studies and peer review between physicians.

ummit Surgical Center

Summit Surgical is a licensed freestanding ambulatory surgical center on the campus of Virtua West Jersey Hospital Voorhees. Same day surgery is performed in the facility, which has seven operating suites and two procedure rooms. Approved by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Healthcare, Summit serves patients of all ages.

Berlin Rehab Center

Virtua Berlin Rehabilitation Center opened in 2000. The center has 120 beds and is located in a dedicated wing of Virtua West Jersey Hospital Berlin, making access to emergency facilities very easy, if ever needed. There is also a nursing wing for long term care patients.

Mt. Holly Rehab

Virtua Mt. Holly Rehabilitation Center is a 180-bed center, and is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). Located just two blocks from Virtua Memorial Hospital Burlington County, this facility offers long term nursing, respite care, subacute care and palliative care.

Camden Outpatient Health Center

Virtua Health Camden offers many outpatient services including the Kyle W. Will Family Health Center. Through this center, patients have access to other practices such as: dentistry, podiatry, ophthalmology, gastroenterology, cardiology and wound care. The Emergency Center is a place patients can go when experiencing medical problems, however, since it is not a hospital, any patient requiring further attention is transported.

Other Facilities

William G. Rohrer Center

Virtua's Rohrer Center for Health and Fitness has a membership-based gym. The gym offers whirlpools, saunas and massage therapists. Aside from the gym, there are physician offices as well as a cardiac rehabilitation center and a physical therapy center.

Affiliations

Virtua/GE Alliance

In early 2004, Virtua Health announced an alliance with GE Healthcare, a global leader in medical imaging, point-of-care systems, healthcare services and information technology. The alliance will give Virtua early access to GE’s new technologies and equipment. GE’s stated goal is that through the example of Virtua their new designs and technologies will set a benchmark in the healthcare industry [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa5292/is_200507/ai_n24304575/pg_2?tag=artBody;col1 bNET.com"] ] .

Fox Chase Virtua Health Cancer Program

Fox Chase Virtua Health Cancer Program is an on-site surgical, chemotherapy and radiation oncology service. Other things the program offers include: a rehabilitation program, nutritional counseling and social work services. The Fox Chase Virtua Health Cancer Program is accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer [http://healthcare.isixsigma.com/library/content/n040128a.asp "iSixSigma.com"] ]

Future Plans

Health and Wellness Center

The Virtua Health and Wellness Center located in Washington Township will be a public facility with many hospital-like features. The building will contain physician offices, as well as facilities for diagnostic testing, and outpatient surgery. There will also be a state-of-the-art fitness center, much like the William G. Roher Center in Voorhees, a med spa and a café. This facility is set to open in summer 2009 [http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.aspx?feed=ACBJ&date=20080129&id=8107528 "moneycentral.msn.com"] ] .

Virtua Voorhees

The Voorhees Campus, Virtua Health’s new hospital will be a state-of-the-art “digital hospital” and an outpatient facility. It will incorporate technologies made to ensure quality services and an assurance of privacy. The new hospital will consist of 360 beds and all of the rooms will be private. When complete, the current Voorhees Campus will be sold to Voorhees township. This building is set to open in 2011 [http://philadelphia.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/stories/2007/10/29/daily24.html?from_msn_money=1 "Philadelphia Business Journal"] ]

References