SOURCE: VHA
IRVING, TX–(Marketwire – July 13, 2010) – Redlands Community Hospital, a 205-bed facility located in Southern California, has joined VHA Inc., the national health care network and business cooperative that serves 1,400 not-for-profit hospitals across the nation. Redlands wants to enhance its ability to network with other providers in the region to develop solutions to challenges they all face, such as how to enhance clinical quality in the face of dwindling resources.
“Most hospitals and health systems are drawn to VHA because of its supply chain management services, but that wasn’t a primary motivator for us,” said Jim Holmes, president and chief executive officer at RCH, which purchases about $25 million in supplies annually. “The health care marketplace is an increasingly challenging environment, and we determined that it would be best for RCH to be part of a larger network of hospitals, without giving up our local control. VHA provides that opportunity.”
The CEO of another VHA member hospital in California, Jim West at Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital in Whittier, actually sold Holmes on VHA. “I explained that being a member of VHA connects our organization to thought leaders and solutions that we need to improve performance. Being a member of VHA creates leverage and gives us clout we don’t have on our own. I think that discussion made the decision to join VHA easier for Redlands,” said West.
In addition to joining VHA’s national network, RCH is also joining VHA’s regional network, VHA West Coast, which links more than 90 hospitals in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada and one hospital in both Oregon and Washington. Through VHA, these organizations leverage their knowledge, purchasing clout and other resources to help each other improve.
“VHA creates connections and energy that enable hospitals to accelerate their performance,” said Rick Barnett, senior vice president of VHA’s West Coast office, located in Pleasanton, Calif. “We’re excited about having RCH in the VHA family. We’ve pursued the organization for two years, and we believe RCH will benefit through its membership, and it will deliver benefits to other members as the RCH team interacts with VHA peers.”
About VHA
Based in Irving, Texas, VHA is a national network of not-for-profit health care organizations that work together to drive maximum savings in the supply chain arena, set new levels of clinical performance and identify and implement best practices to improve operational efficiency and clinical outcomes. Formed in 1977, through its 16 regional offices, VHA serves more than 1,400 hospitals and more than 28,000 non-acute care providers nationwide. VHA was ranked by Modern Healthcare as the 7th best place to work in health care in 2009.
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