Celebrating and Supporting Virginia's Hospitals

May is a big month in the health care community. Governor McAuliffe declared May 10-16, 2015, Virginia Hospital Week this year. Although Chesapeake Regional Medical Center (CRMC) celebrates internally annually, it should be recognized throughout the region how important our hospitals are to the communities they serve.

In 1976, CRMC was built by the community to provide excellent health care to an area with no local hospital. We realize we aren’t the biggest of the Hampton Roads hospitals. In fact, we are one of the few small, independent, hospitals remaining in the Commonwealth of Virginia. However, our staff members offer up their big hearts to provide the personalized care the community has come to expect at CRMC.  And we’d like to ask you to open up your heart to help us.

The Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association (VHHA) has called for residents of the Commonwealth to support their hospitals, and I urge you to do the same. Whether you are able to volunteer, donate through a hospital foundation or advocate for proper health care funding, your contribution toward the care of your local hospital will mean so much to your community.

According to the VHHA, Virginia hospitals generated $34.8 billion in economic activity within one year. They also ranked among the top three employers in their communities, provided $628 million in charity care and spent $135 million subsidizing health care services. Many hospitals are open year-round, 24/7, and provide community programs that are necessary to the health and well-being of their local residents. Without the continuous care and support of their physicians, staff and services, society, the economy and basic health care would function much differently. 

In fiscal year 2013 (June 2012 – July 2013), CRMC alone provided $5.9 million in charity care to patients in need of assistance, and $41.2 million in community support that included health screenings and health education, in addition to financial contributions to the community. From March 2014 – April 2015, we generated $245.2 million in economic activity and spent $169.1 million on goods and services to Virginia’s economy. We’re not just dedicated to top-notch patient care, but to helping sustain a healthy city, region and state as well.

As the largest employer in the City of Chesapeake, we have more than 2,200 team members and more than 600 physicians on our medical staff. We’re equipped with all of the latest technology, such as the newest model of the da Vinci® surgical system, and have an amazing group of on-staff skilled surgeons who provide advanced care to their patients.

Although we provide many programs to the community, our largest non-profit program is the annual Bra-ha-ha®, a creative event that helps raise funds to provide breast health services to underinsured and uninsured members of the Hampton Roads community. In October 2014, we provided 200 breast health screenings to community members as a result of our fundraising efforts.

Within fiscal year 2014 (June 2013-July 2014), CRMC delivered more than 2,400 babies, performed 16,211 surgical procedures, filled more than 4.5 million drug orders through our pharmacies, completed 8,008 community visits with our Health Mobile and saw nearly 80,000 visits to our Emergency Department.

While we are celebrating our successes and robust offerings to the community during Hospital Week, this isn’t to say we aren’t prepared for future trials. According to the VHHA, hospitals will continue to face more cuts to Medicaid and Medicare funding.  We personally took a hit when Medicaid expansion failed to pass in the Virginia General Assembly. We lost nearly $21.7 million after combined cuts to Medicaid and Medicare in 2014. We don’t have a choice about many of the changes and challenges we are preparing to face as a health care system; however, I feel comfortable in speaking in unison with other health care systems across the Commonwealth when I say we will continue to provide the quality health care our patients need and deserve.

It is because of this that more than ever, hospitals need community support. By contributing to your local hospital, you’re helping to prepare for the health care needs of future generations, which may include your children or grandchildren. It can be your legacy that future Virginians have the best care possible.

To learn more about Virginia Hospital Week and the statistics provided by the VHHA, visit www.VirginiaHospitalWeek.com. If you’re interested in learning more about CRMC and the ways you can help this independent hospital, visit www.chesapeakeregional.com.

Peter F. Bastone
President and Chief Executive Officer
Chesapeake Regional Medical Center