May 6, 2006

The Virginia Business Coalition on Health (VBCH), formerly the Hampton Roads Health Coalition (HRHC)(1983-Present), announces its Virginia-wide expansion.  VBCH, a 501(c)(3) mixed-model coalition of purchasers (employers), providers (hospitals and health plans), consultants, and pharmaceutical companies, envisions a unified Virginia stakeholder voice to promote best practices for high quality, cost-effective health care.  VBCH’s Mission is to be Virginia’s primary resource and convener on healthcare issues relating to value-based purchasing, productivity, wellness, patient safety and quality.

“Virginia Business Coalition on Health is the only non-profit, impartial and non-partisan organization in Virginia dedicated to hearing, voicing and acting upon the health care quality, cost and wellness concerns of it’s members.   We know that “bigger is better” when it comes to a voice in the marketplace and that’s why our goal in Virginia is to represent 700,000+ covered lives by 2010!” said President and CEO, Barbara K. Wallace, EdD.  “Our membership to the National Business Coalition on Health (NBCH), allows us to amplify our local voice with the voice of 70 coalitions nationwide: a network of 7,000 employers and 30 million covered lives.” 

Leading the Board of Directors as Chairwoman is Kathleen A. Thomas, Director of Benefits, Landmark Communications, Inc., a coalition member and ‘Bullfrog’ supporter of the Coalition’s key project, The Leapfrog Group Hospital Survey.  “As an employer, we know of the concerns raised about the Nation’s health and its health care delivery system amid double-digit increases in the cost of the health care benefit” said Ms. Thomas.  She defines two major employer concerns: “safety - tens of thousands die every year in this nation due to preventable medical errors, and that most employers are buying on cost instead of buying on quality.”

Ms. Thomas explains that, based upon national coalition standards, “ the Virginia Business Coalition on health has what it takes to make a difference in the healthcare marketplace:(1) committed leadership from core employers; (2) leadership skills and business acumen of the staff, board and the VBCH general membership; (3) membership representation and significant market share to grab plan/provider attention; (4) a clear mission and strategic focus, (5) creation of a sustainable business model beyond membership dues; (6) ability to design and execute value-based purchasing; (7) a positive plan and provider participation/partnership; and, (8) a demonstrated track record of success (Hampton Roads since 1983) as we expand Virginia wide.

Eileen E. Ciccotelli, MPM, Vice President for Strategic Development, challenges all employers, small, medium, and large, to align with the coalition’s quality initiatives to ensure the highest quality health care is being delivered at the lowest cost in Virginia.  Driving the coalition’s quality agenda is the Hospital Survey of The Leapfrog Group.  “93 Hospitals throughout Virginia are invited to join the more than 1,000 hospitals nationwide in completing the 2006 Hospital Survey by June 30, 2006.  Employers and consumers are demanding quality and transparency and one easy way is to visit www.leapfroggroup.org.”  The Coalition has been a Regional Roll-out Leader since 2003; as a result, the Hampton Roads community has enjoyed 100% ‘urban’ and 50% rural participation for the past two years.  The Coalition aims to engage hospitals Virginia-wide; presently, 31 (or 34%) of 93 hospitals complete the Leapfrog Hospital Survey.
The Leapfrog Group arose when the Institute of Medicine (IOM) raised concerns about the Nation’s health and its health care delivery system: 44,000 to 98,000 preventable medical mistakes estimated nationwide every year.  Virginia is estimated to experience 2,650 of these deaths annually.  Additionally, 13,250 medication errors are estimated to occur in Virginia ever year.  The www.leapfroggroup.org site and Hospital Surveywas launched in 2001 and is now in the refresh stage of its third version.   It aims to provide consumers and purchasers of health care with the information they need to make informed health care choices and promote transparency within health care.  Employers nationwide and in Virginia make the survey data available to all their enrollees and commit to work to implement incentives and rewards for safe, high quality and value health care.  The survey is currently most applicable to urban-acute hospitals but other hospitals are welcome to take part.  The Leapfrog Safe Practices Leap (comprising 27 National Quality Forum (NQF)-endorsed practices) is applicable to urban and rural hospitals.  The Hospital Survey data is publicly displayed on The Leapfrog Group Web site and updated monthly.

The Coalition’s new website www.myVBCH.org, to be released June 2006, will focus on the employee, or health care consumer, and will be a health channel for up to date information and links regarding health and business.  “­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Consumers are hungry for solid, reliable health information to help them be productive and healthy employees, and what better way than the Coalition to provide the channel” said Ms. Thomas.  The www.myVBCH.org website will include the latest programs and tools for members, meeting dates and calendar of events, networking opportunities, and links to valuable quality and patient safety initiatives as we work with the hospital providers and health plans, and the pharmaceutical industry. Contact the Virginia Business Coalition on Health at 757.552.0913 or info@myVBCH.org to become a member, to volunteer, or for more information