Health Care Leaders, NPR Political Correspondent Headline VHHA Fall Conference

November 14, 2019

Scheduled for Nov. 13-15, the 2019 Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association’s Fall Conference at the Omni Homestead Resort is Presented by the VHHA Foundation and Features Panels Focusing Issues Related to Health Care Leadership, Hospital Chief Financial Officers, and Keynote Remarks from NPR Senior Political Correspondent Domenico Montanaro

HOT SPRINGS, VA – The 2019 VHHA Fall Conference, the premier annual gathering for hospital and health care stakeholders in Virginia, is being held this week (Nov. 13-15) at the Omni Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, VA. The forum organized by the VHHA Foundation offers significant value for hospital and health system executives, senior leaders, and c-suite teams and features an exciting lineup of speakers and panel discussions offering important perspective and insight on today’s health care landscape. The program lineup for the 2019 Fall Conference, whose theme is “Leading in Healthcare,” includes these highlights:

• Opening keynote remarks from National Public Radio Senior Political Correspondent Domenico Montanaro.
• Keynote remarks from best-selling author, speaker, and thought leader Chris McChesney, the featured presenter of FranklinCovey’s 4 Disciplines of Execution.
• A panel on health care leadership featuring Valley Health President and CEO Mark H. Merrill, Bon Secours St. Francis Medical Center CEO Chris Accashian; and Ballad Health Chief Administrative Officer Eric Deaton.
• A panel discussion with Virginia hospital chief financial officers about navigating pressing financial considerations such as reimbursement and payment models, uncertain economic conditions, operational integration, and more featuring Mary Washington Healthcare Senior Vice President and CFO Sean Barden, UVA Health CFO Doug Lischke, and VCU Health Chief Administrative and Financial Officer Melinda Hancock.
• An Advocacy Outlook Luncheon featuring a debriefing on Virginia’s hotly contested and bruising 2019 legislative elections.

“The VHHA Fall Conference is more than an annual tradition – it’s an opportunity for members of the hospital and health care community to come together, network, gain insights, and share ideas about ways in which we can collaborate to enhance the health care delivery system in the Commonwealth as we work to make Virginia the healthiest state in the nation,” said Dr. Michael P. McDermott, the President and CEO of Fredericksburg-based Mary Washington Healthcare and the Chairman of the VHHA Board of Directors. “Together, we have made important strides this year to increase health care access through coverage expansion, which Virginia hospitals are helping fund, and to enhance patient outcomes by focusing on health care quality and service.”

Added VHHA President and CEO Sean T. Connaughton: “From quality and patient safety, to access to care, the Virginia hospital community has taken important steps forward in the journey to make the Commonwealth the healthiest state in the nation. In the past year, we have seen the state authorize new coverage under Medicaid expansion, Virginia has been named a top three state in the U.S. by the Leapfrog Group in its Hospital Safety Grades scores that measure patient safety, and Virginia earned an “A” grade in the 2019 State-by-State Report Card on Access to Palliative Care in hospital-based settings from the Center to Advance Palliative Care and the National Palliative Care Research Center. These earned accolades are a product of collaboration among Virginia hospitals, which is fostered by gatherings such as the annual Fall Conference.”

VHHA and the VHHA Foundation, the charitable non-profit affiliate of VHHA, thank these key sponsors and corporate partners for their support of the Fall Conference: Alteon Health, Lumeris, U.S. Acute Care Solutions, VHHA Shared Services, Hancock Daniel, Troutman Sanders Strategies, AIG, RCM&D, SCP Health, Sound Physicians, Healthcare Systems Federal Credit Union, Sage View, Waller, and Mednax.

About VHHA: The Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association is an alliance of 110 hospitals and 27 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, Instagram, and ISupportVirginiaHospitals.com.

About VHHA Foundation: The VHHA Foundation, formerly the Virginia Hospital Research & Education Foundation, is the charitable non-profit affiliate of VHHA. Its focus is on improving the health of Virginians through collaboration, research, and education for Virginia’s hospitals and health systems. The foundation provides continuing education programs for Virginia’s health care professionals through conferences, seminars, and webinars. VHHA Foundation also supports research and patient safety and quality programs. Learn more at VHHA.com/programs.

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Contact:
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jtwalker@vhha.com