VHA recognizes “outstanding suppliers”
Irving, Texas-based VHA Inc. recognized several outstanding suppliers at its annual supplier summit that its members have identified as industry leaders for their support of VHA member organizations.
The 2009 award winners were:
- Overall Member Satisfaction – Witt/Kieffer
- Member Participation Growth – Shred-it
- Member Satisfaction Growth – Thomson Reuters
- Compliance – Ponder & Co.
- Sales Growth – AT&T Mobility
- Outstanding Distributor – U.S. Foodservice
- Outstanding Supplier – Hospira IV Systems
- Breakout Supplier – B. Braun I.V. Sets and Solutions
- Best Partner – U.S. Foodservice
- Explosive Growth – Terumo Cardiovascular Systems.
Seton Hospitals name several new VPs and COOs
Austin, Texas-based Seton Family of Hospitals filled several newly created COO and other leadership roles to help support its growing network:
- Kate Henderson was promoted to VP and COO for University Medical Center Brackenridge (Austin, Texas) from VP of network diagnostic & therapeutic services;
- Bruce Broslat, who has been with Seton since 2000, was named VP and COO of a new Seton MSO;
- Scott Fuller moved to VP and COO of Seton Northwest Hospital (Austin, Texas), from the same position at Seton Highland Lakes Hospital (Burnet, Texas), which he held since 2006;
- Arie Dejong replaced Fuller as VP and COO of Seton Highland Lakes. She was formerly director of non-clinical services;
- Charles Durant was appointed VP of network diagnostic & therapeutic services, which includes laboratory and imaging services, among others. He was formerly COO at Seton Northwest Hospital since 1998.
AMA president comments on passage of health system reform bill
American Medical Association (AMA) president J. James Rohack, M.D. released a statement about the passage of health system reform by the U.S. House of Representatives. Passage of the bill “is an important step toward providing coverage to all Americans and improving our nation’s health system,” he said. He stated that the AMA will remain “actively engaged” to ensure that, before Congress adjourns, there are additional changes to the health system, including repeal of the Medicare physician payment formula that threatens access to care for seniors and military families. For more information, visit www.ama-assn.org.
UPMC plans $900 million vaccine factory
UPMC-University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (Pittsburgh, Pa.) plans to construct a $900 million vaccine factory in the Pittsburgh area through JVs with Battelle (West Jefferson, Ohio), IBM Corp (Armonk, N.Y.) and Merck & Co Inc (Whitehouse Station, N.J.). The partners join GE Healthcare (Waukesha, Wisc.) in the endeavor. The plant would be funded by the federal government and operate as a nonprofit UPMC subsidiary, 21CB, the nonprofit corporation created by UPMC in 2009 to own and operate the facility. The facility would provide a way to respond quickly to chemical, biological or radiological threats such as a bioterrorist attack. UPMC officials are considering a location near the old Pittsburgh International Airport as the site of the new factory. The project, which awaits government funding approval, would create 1,000 jobs directly and up to 6,000 jobs indirectly.
Lawmakers OK LSU hospital deal
Baton Rouge, La.-based LSU Health Care Services Division will close its Earl K Long Medical Center (EKL) (Baton Rouge, La.) and shift its medical education and inpatient hospital care to Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center (OLOL) (Baton Rouge, La.) under a deal approved by lawmakers. The move will keep the state from building a new $480 million replacement hospital for EKL, which will now close by 2013. OLOL will add at least 60 new hospital beds and a Level One trauma center and the state will pay $38 million as part of the move.
