Valley Health Corporation annual meeting highlights system strengths, clinical recognitions, technology, partnerships

At its annual meeting on May 9th at Winchester Medical Center (WMC), members of the Valley Health Corporation were updated on the health system’s clinical recognitions, finances, community health initiatives, and technology upgrades.

Valley Health’s Corporation comprises regional leaders representing business, education, healthcare, government, and community service who provide valuable oversight and engagement to the nonprofit system’s Board of Trustees and leadership team.

During a brief business meeting, adopted the recommendations of the Governance Committee:

• the appointment of a new trustee, Gerald F. Smith, Jr.;
• the reappointment of Valley Health trustees Harry S. Smith, Marie S. Imoh, and Thomas Leslie, DDS;
• the conferring of Honorary Corporation membership to long-serving members Byron Brill, DDS, Harry F. Byrd, III, and William Major, MD;
• recognition for 11 members rotating off the Corporation; and
• welcome to 30 community members joining the Corporation for 2024-2026.

Valley Health President and CEO Mark Nantz thanked retiring Chief Financial Officer Pete Gallagher and introduced Valley Health’s new CFO, Bob Amos, MBA, who has served WMC in that capacity since 2009.  Nantz also welcomed Susan Lessar, MS, RDN, CNSC, to the newly created role of Vice President of Operations, Service Excellence, and WMC interim Chief Nursing Officer Kris Maddalena, RN, MSN, NE-BC.

Nantz shared recent recognitions for clinical excellence, most notably:

• Winchester Medical Center and Warren Memorial Hospital again earned “A” grades for hospital safety from the Leapfrog Group. They are the highest-graded hospitals in the N. Shenandoah Valley/Eastern Panhandle region;
• The Heart and Vascular Center at WMC was named one of the nation’s top 50 cardiovascular hospitals by Fortune and PINC AI™.
• S. News & World Report named WMC a 2022-2023 High Performing Hospital for 12 procedures and conditions, including heart attack and hip and knee replacement;
• WMC maintained Level II Trauma Center designation following a triennial site survey;
• Shenandoah Memorial Hospital was again recognized as one of the nation’s Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals by The Chartis Center for Rural Health.

The November go-live of Valley Health’s upgraded version of Epic, the electronic medical record, will bring new features and convenience to community users, as well as robust capabilities for the clinical team, Nantz explained. He summarized 2022 key financial and operational statistics, including positive news that Valley Health was rated A-1 by Moody’s and A+ by S&P Global.

Valley Health’s $11.5 million lawsuit to recoup payments owed by Anthem was settled last month, Nantz explained, and negotiations for 2024 will begin shortly. In January, Valley Health announced it is a partner in Peak Health, a provider-led health insurance services company based in West Virginia with the mission of making healthcare more accessible, understandable, and collaborative.

Terral Goode, MD, medical director of Trauma and Acute Surgery at WMC, provided an overview of the medical center’s Level II trauma center, first designated by the state in 2004. WMC treated nearly 1,800 patients for traumatic injury in 2021-2022. The top priority is expediting the transfer of trauma patients to WMC. Trauma staff also promote prevention, rapid treatment, and healing, organizing bike helmet events, providing Foundation support to provide emergency supplies to law enforcement first responders, teaching Stop the Bleed classes, and coordinating a trauma survivors’ network.

Jeff Feit, MD, Valley Health Chief Population and Community Health Officer, explained how Valley Health’s Community Health Needs Assessment informs our approach to planning and partnering with community organizations on health initiatives. From 2019-2021, Valley Health’s combined investment in community health totaled $497 million.

Valley Health is a nonprofit health system serving a population of more than 500,000 in the Northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, the Eastern Panhandle and Potomac Highlands of West Virginia, and western Maryland. As a healthcare provider, employer, and community partner, Valley Health is committed to improving the region’s health. The system includes six hospitals, over 60 medical practices and Urgent Care centers, outpatient rehabilitation and fitness, medical transport, long-term care, and home health. www.valleyhealthlink.com