Industry Leaders Discuss Workforce Health

State health care leaders met Thursday at the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting and business summit at The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs.

During a panel discussion, officials from Unicare Health Plan of WV, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, The Health Plan, Aetna Better Health of West Virginia and the Vandalia Health Network talked about ways to improve the health of West Virginia’s workforce.

Initiatives discussed ranged from easing access to care through telehealth to investing in programs to provide healthy foods throughout rural areas.

David Ramsey, president and CEO of Vandalia Health, moderated the panel.

“Last year, this time, we were eight hospitals, by the end of this year will be 17 hospitals in our organization,” Ramsey said. “So in less than a year, we’ve really more than doubled the size of our organization.”

Panelists discussed initiatives within their own organizations and partnerships among them.

“That’s what our goal is, is to work together,” Michelle Coon, president of Vandalia Health Network said. “We don’t need to recreate the wheel, we just need to form partnerships and bring all the resources together, so our communities are healthier.”

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Charleston Area Medical Center and Marshall Health.