Virtua

Type	Non Profit Organization
Industry	Healthcare
Founded	1998
Headquarters	Marlton, New Jersey, U.S.
Key people	Rich Miller (CEO) Ninfa Saunders (President and COO) Jim Dwyer (Executive Vice President)
Website	www.virtua.org

Virtua is a non profit healthcare system in southern New Jersey that operates a network of hospitals, surgery centers, physician practices, fitness centers, and more. Virtua hospitals are located in Berlin, Mount Holly, Marlton and Voorhees Township. Virtua is South Jersey's largest health care provider.

Contents 1 History 2 The STAR Initiative 3 Hospitals 3.1 Berlin 3.2 Mt. Holly (Memorial) 3.3 Marlton 3.4 Voorhees 4 Outpatient centers 4.1 Virtua Ambulatory Surgery Center 4.2 Summit Surgical Center 4.3 Berlin Rehab Center 4.4 Mt. Holly Rehab 4.5 Camden Outpatient Health Center 5 Other facilities 5.1 William G. Rohrer Center 5.2 Health and Wellness Center 6 Emergency Medical Services 6.1 Mobile Intensive Care Unit 6.1.1 Medic Unit locations 6.1.2 MICU History 6.2 SouthSTAR 7 Affiliations 7.1 Virtua/GE Alliance 7.2 Fox Chase Virtua Health Cancer Program 8 References 9 External links

History

Virtua began as the West Jersey Health System in 1885 in Camden, New Jersey.^[1] In October 1998, Memorial Health Alliance and West Jersey Health System merged to create Virtua Health, the largest healthcare provider in South Jersey. Current President and CEO Richard Miller lead the merger.^[2] 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.^[3] 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.^[4]

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.^[4][5]

Hospitals

Berlin

Virtua 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 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

In 1973, Virtua Voorhees opened in Voorhees, NJ, on Carnie Blvd. and Evesham Road (CR 544) in Camden County. The hospital was built near surrounding farms, which are currently housing developments.^[6][7] The hospital closed in 2011 and moved its facilities to another section of Voorhees. Before relocating, the Virtua Voorhees campus had 336 beds and together with the hospital in Mt. Holly, Virtua delivered more babies than at any other of the Virtua facilities.

The Virtua Voorhees campus has moved to a different location in Voorhees, located on Bowman Drive and Route 73, about three miles from the former hospital. Opened on May 22, 2011, the campus features a “digital hospital” and an outpatient facility. The hospital consists of 370 beds, each in a private room. After the grand opening of the Voorhees hospital, the former Voorhees site will be sold to Voorhees Township. One of the residents at the hospital is Dr. Parth Shah.^[8] Nearly 150 patients were safely transported from the former hospital to the current site. The Virtua Voorhees Ambulatory Care Center is anticipated to open in spring 2012.

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.

Summit Surgical Center

Summit Surgical is a licensed freestanding ambulatory surgical center at 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 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 where patients can go when experiencing medical problems. However, since it is not a hospital, any patient requiring further attention is transported to another facility.

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.

Health and Wellness Center

The Virtua Health and Wellness Center located in Washington Township is a medical facility with many hospital-like features. The building contains physician offices, as well as facilities for diagnostic testing and outpatient surgery. There is also a state-of-the-art fitness center, much like the William G. Rohrer Center in Voorhees, a health spa, and a café. This facility opened in January 2010.

Emergency Medical Services

Mobile Intensive Care Unit

Virtua's mobile intensive care unit (MICU), working in conjunction with local ambulances, provides advanced life support paramedic service to Burlington and Camden Counties. Responding to over 50,000 calls for service annually, approximately 160 full- and part-time paramedics staff 12 medic units, of which 9 are in service 24 hour a days, seven days a week. The MICU also provides bikes team for special events and tactical paramedics who are specially trained to provide medical support to law enforcement agencies during special operations.

Medic Unit locations

31 - Mount Holly
32 - Cinnaminson
33 - Medford
34 - Mansfield
35 - Mount laurel
36 - Pemberton (in service 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.)
41 - Voorhees
42 - Berlin
43 - Camden City
44 - Haddonfield
45 - Pennsauken (in service 7 a.m. to 1 a.m.)
46 - Blackwood (in service 7 a.m. to 1 a.m.)

MICU History

The Virtua MICU was formed as part of the merger of the Memorial Health Alliance and West Jersey Health System, which operated the Burlington County Memorial Hospital MICU and West Jersey MICU, respectively. Both MICUs were of the original nine pilot projects instituted in the 1970s to determine the effectiveness of paramedic services. West Jersey MICU went in service April 14, 1977 with Medic 1 (Voorhees), Medic 2 (Berlin), and Medic 3 (Camden City). Burlington County Memorial Hospital MICU went in service on January 10, 1978 with CARE 1, operating out of Mount Holly.

SouthSTAR

Virtua provides a nurse and paramedic to staff SouthSTAR (Shock Trauma Air Rescue), which is one of two medical helicopters operated by the New Jersey State Police (the other being NorthSTAR, staffed by University Hospital in Newark). SouthSTAR is located at the Hammonton Municipal Airport and has been in operation since July 1988.

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.^[3]

Fox Chase Virtua Health Cancer Program

Fox Chase Virtua Health Cancer Program is an on-site surgical, chemotherapy, and radiation oncology service. The program offers a rehabilitation program, as well as nutritional counseling and social work services. The Fox Chase Virtua Health Cancer Program is accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer.^[9]

References

External links

• Official website