Statewide Hospital Tour to Express Gratitude, Thanks, and Appreciation for Virginia Health Care Professionals Commences This Week

November 5, 2021

Tour will Feature Outdoor Site Visits to Hospitals Throughout the Commonwealth from November 8-12 to Recognize Hospital Team Members Who Care for Their Communities, Protect Public Health, and Respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic

RICHMOND, VA – The Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association (VHHA) is supporting a weeklong tour (Nov. 8-12) of visits to hospitals around the Commonwealth to show thanks and appreciation to health care professionals who are on duty 24/7/365 to care for their communities, protect public health, and who have repeatedly risen to the occasion during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Throughout the week, a mobile billboard truck broadcasting a video thanking hospital team members and displaying other supportive messaging will travel to hospitals around Virginia to offer an in-person show of support for the hard-working caregivers, clinicians and technicians, and support staff who keep hospitals running. During the tour that arrives just ahead of the holiday season, VHHA staff will distribute gift bags to hospital team members as a token of appreciation for all they do each day to keep Virginians healthy. The gift bags include the latest pictorial edition of VHHA’s REVIEW Magazine featuring the voices and images of frontline hospital team members, a thank you note, and an assortment of snacks and sanitary items.

VHHA hopes this tour will help re-focus public attention on the critical work of frontline health care providers and remind the public, patients, and families to treat them with respect and kindness.

The five-day tour itinerary includes stops at these hospitals:

• Monday, Nov. 8, 2021 – Visits to Virginia Hospital Center, Inova Fairfax Hospital, and Winchester Medical Center;
• Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021 – Visits to Augusta Health, Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, and Johnston Memorial Hospital;
• Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021 – Visits to Sovah Health – Danville, Centra Lynchburg General Hospital, and UVA Medical Center;
• Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021 – Visits to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters, and Chesapeake Regional Medical Center; and
• Friday, Nov. 12, 2021 – Visits to Mary Washington Hospital, Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center, VCU Medical Center, and HCA Chippenham Hospital.

“Words can’t adequately express how appreciative we are of the thousands of caregivers, clinicians, and support staff who work in Virginia hospitals and have been on duty day and night to serve patients and their communities during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” said VHHA President and CEO Sean T. Connaughton. “As we embark on this statewide tour to show our gratitude, we do so with those hospital team members on our mind. We thank them for their invaluable work, and we encourage local businesses and community members and leaders to continue to show their support and appreciation for hospitals and their teams.”

VHHA will document the tour on its social media channels (see links below) throughout the week. Members of the media interested in further details about the tour may contact VHHA or inquire with their local hospital about tour stops in their respective markets.

About VHHA: The Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association is an alliance of 110 hospitals and 25 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 to make Virginia the healthiest state in the nation. Its vision is through collaboration with members and stakeholders, to ensure the sustainability of Virginia health care system, transform the delivery of care to promote lower costs and high value across the continuum of care, and to improve health for all Virginians. Connect with VHHA through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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