Southern Virginia Regional Medical Center Celebrates National Hospital Week

Emporia, VA (May 20, 2011) – A hospital is more than a place where people go to receive healthcare; it is a vital component of a healthy community. The men and women who dedicate their lives to helping others in our hospitals were touted in this year’s Hospital Week theme as “Champions of Care”.

Keeping health care in a positive light is part of the tradition of National Hospital Week, a celebration of care that dates back to 1921. That year, a magazine editor in Chicago suggested an annual “open house” for health care where a skeptical public could have see first hand the important work performed inside hospitals. The idea spread across the country and helped change the perception about hospitals from places of illness to places of healing. Today, National Hospital Week is the nation’s largest health care celebration.

Southern Virginia Regional Medical Center joined with hospitals across the nation in celebration of National Hospital Week May 8 - 14. During the week, employees were invited to participate in fun activities including “SVRMC Minute to Win It”, an employee health screening, an “SVRMC Wheel of Fortune” tournament, the annual employee service awards banquet, an afternoon snack attack, an ice cream social, and in drawings for prizes with all proceeds to benefit the Emporia/Greensville Relay for Life. The celebration at SVRMC culminated on Friday with a catered hospital picnic and the prize drawings. Through the Hospital Week fund raising efforts, staff raised a total of 796.00 including a $100.00 cash prize that was won by Betty Lou Robinson and donated back to the fund.

Left to Right: Brenda Pultz, Relay for Life Co-Chair, Angela Francis, American Cancer Society Community Manager, Brit Phelps, SVRMC CEO, Susan Mitchell, Relay For Life Co-Chair, Betty Lou Robinson, Relay For Life Survivor Co-Chair - Brit Phelps present the SVRMC Employee's Donation to the Emporia/Greensville Relay for Life Committee.

Jay Ewing, Director of Cardiopulmonary, Sleep and Laboratory Services, explains the sleep study process to fellow employee Judy Epps at the SVRMC Employee Health Screening.	Cynthia Mason-Kemp, RN check Wanda Powell's blood pressure during the SVRMC Employee Health Screening.
Christy Zornes, RN draws blood from Wanda Murell for a cholesterol screening during the SVRMC Employee Health Screening.	CFO, Elmer Polite, tries his luck at the SVRMC Minute 2 Win It "Suck It Up" Game.
Loretta Bottoms beats the clock in the SVRMC Minute 2 Win It "Stack'um Up"	Christy Zornes didn't beat the clock, but was the only employee to stack three golf ball on top of one another in the "Caddy Shack" game.

Phyllis Turner and Zina Robinson enjoy SVRMC Bingo during Hospital Week.