2024 Year in Review at Valley Health

As 2025 approaches, Valley Health looks forward to a year full of new opportunities to serve our community with compassion and innovation.

Before we turn the page on 2024, we’d like to take a quick look back at some of our high points at Valley Health.

January

Hampshire Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Department is the recipient of Press Ganey’s 2023 Human Experience Guardian of Excellence Award! The award was earned based on results from Emergency Department patient surveys returned between July – October 2022 and January – April 2023. Read more here about Hampshire Memorial Hospital’s Award.

February

The Chartis Center for Rural Health completes an annual assessment of rural hospital performance nationwide using publicly reported data on 36 measures of quality, outcomes, patient satisfaction and cost that comprise the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX®. Read more here about the five Valley Health Hospitals that earned Top 100 award from The Chartis Center for Rural Health.

Other notable moments:

• Valley Health introduced healthcare offerings in the Stephens City area with the opening of a new Valley Health Urgent Care Express. With the addition of the Stephens City location, Valley Health now operates six Urgent Care centers and five Urgent Care Express locations throughout Virginia and West Virginia. Click here to learn more about the opening and the Stephens City location’s capabilities.

March

Valley Health celebrated Doctors’ Day. If you went to a Valley Health facility on or around Doctors’ Day, March 30, you probably found celebrations for our dedicated doctors. We took a moment to say ‘thank you’ to our doctors for everything they do to serve our community!

Other notable moments:

• Valley Health celebrated its longest-serving employees at the Service Award Banquet in late March at Shenandoah Valley Golf Club. Some team members were recognized for 25+ years of service to Valley Health!

April

For the second cycle running, Valley Health Warren Memorial Hospital (WMH) earned the Gold Seal of Approval^® for Total Knee Replacement and Total Hip Replacement Certification from The Joint Commission (TJC).

Awarded in collaboration with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the two-year certification attests to the quality of the total joint program at WMH, from pre-surgical orthopedic consultation and patient education to surgery, pain management, rehabilitation, and follow-up. The review process included interviews with team members and evaluated compliance with certification standards developed in consultation with health care experts, providers and patients. Read more about Warren Memorial Hospitals winning the Gold Seal of Approval for Total Hip and Knee Replacement Program here.

Other notable moments:

• Valley Health and Blue Ridge Hospice expand their collaborative Hospice in the Hospital program to Shenandoah Memorial Hospital in Woodstock, VA. On April 1, the two signed an agreement for Blue Ridge Hospice to work alongside the hospital’s care team. This collaboration provides supplemental comfort care services to ensure eligible patients and families receive the most complete and comprehensive care during and after their stay at the hospital. Read more about the collaboration here.
• Tonya Smith was named to Becker’s Hospital Review’s prestigious list of Women Hospital Presidents and CEOs to Know in 2024. Tonya serves as president of Winchester Medical Center and senior vice president of acute care for Valley Health, and has more than 25 years of experience in the healthcare industry. Tonya also serves on Valley Health’s Executive Leadership Team.
• Valley Health opened Cardiovascular Diagnostic Center, at Winchester Medical Center (WMC) to provide comprehensive, state-of-the-art care for patients with heart and vascular conditions.

May

Valley Health celebrates National Nurses Week, Hospital Week and EMS Week with gifts, celebrations and more. We recognize our caregivers and those in the community who provide exceptional care with compassion and dedication.

Other notable moments:

• Valley Health’s Heart & Vascular Center at Winchester Medical Center (WMC) received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry™ Platinum Performance Achievement Award for 2023, one of only 262 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor.
• The Top of Virginia Regional Chamber's Community Leadership Program takes part in Stop the Bleed and CPR trainings hosted by Valley Health and Winchester Medical Center.
• Susan Lessar, Vice President of Operations, Service Excellence, is elected as a 2023-2024 Health Professions Community Partner of the Year Award “Preceptor of the Year” from the James Madison University Department of Health Professions. She has served as a preceptor for JMU undergraduate nutrition students since 2009.
• Women’s Specialists joined Valley Health to enhance the quality and accessibility of comprehensive healthcare services for women in our community.

June

Valley Health nursing leadership visits elected officials in Washington, D.C., to talk about nursing issues. The group discusses protecting nurses against violence and aggressive behavior from patients and family members.

Other notable moments:

• Sue Sours celebrates her 54th anniversary – the longest tenured employee to ever serve at Page Memorial Hospital. Page Vice President Travis Clark declares June 10 as Sue Sours Appreciation Day.

July

Winchester Medical Center (WMC) is named a 2024 - 2025 Best Regional Hospital by U.S. News & World Report and is recognized as “High Performing” for 10 common adult procedures and conditions. In addition, WMC is the highest-ranked hospital in the Shenandoah Valley and is ranked seventh overall in Virginia. Of the 120 Virginia hospitals evaluated, only 15 met U.S. News standards for a “Best Regional Hospital” ranking. Nationwide, only 11% of hospitals earned a Best Hospitals numerical ranking. Click here to learn more about Winchester Medical Center being named the U.S. News & World Report Best Regional Hospital.

Other notable moments:

• S&P Global Ratings affirms Valley Health’s financial stability and performance, issuing the system an A+ rating. In addition, Moody’s Investor Services reaffirms its A1 rating, reflecting Valley Health’s consistently stable operating performance. Click here to read more about the Valley Health’s S&P Global Ratings.
• Valley Health’s holds its annual Camp Follow the Leader summer camp for children with physical, social, emotional and developmental challenges. The camp is made possible through the Winchester Medical Center (WMC) Foundation.
• Becker's compiles a list of the best hospitals for physician communication in each state. Page Memorial Hospital makes the list, standing alongside only six other Virginia hospitals.
• On July 12, Valley Health cuts the ribbon for the new Urgent Care Express | Berryville location at 322 N. Buckmarsh St. Click here to learn more about Valley Health Urgent Care Express in Berryville.
• Dr. Emmanuel Ekanem, a cardiac electrophysiologist with Winchester Cardiology and Vascular Medicine | Valley Health, publishes an article in the prestigious journal Nature Medicine titled, “Safety of pulsed field ablation in more than 17,000 patients with atrial fibrillation in the MANIFEST-17K study.”
• Valley Health Outpatient Behavioral Health opened a new location at 337 Westside Station Dr., dedicated to children and adolescents. The new services include counseling for youth, outpatient psychiatric appointments with medication management, and after school intensive outpatient programs for teens.

August

Valley Health Primary Care | Jubal Early officially opens in August. The practice adds three new providers for a total of two advanced care providers and five primary care physicians. The new office is located at 519 West Jubal Early Drive, Winchester. Read more about the practice expansion here.

Other notable moments:

• Valley Health celebrates the ribbon cutting at the Winchester Medical Center (WMC) Auxiliary Attic’s new location at 31 W. Jubal Early Drive with the Top of Virginia Regional Chamber of Commerce.
• Carla Dallmann, vice president of Risk Management, is awarded the designation of Fellow of the American Society for Health Care Risk Management (FASHRM) for outstanding individual achievement of professional excellence in the health care risk management profession.
• Our caregivers in the Patient Logistics Center, which helps coordinate patient transfers, notches 500 years of combined service across its teams for 2024.
• Congressman Ben Cline visits Winchester Medical Center (WMC) for an insightful tour and an overview of our upcoming projects.
• Winchester Medical Center (WMC) Rheumatology joined the Valley Health family.

September

Valley Health, in collaboration with The REACH Institute, successfully hosted a comprehensive training program for pediatric mental health at The George Washington Hotel in Winchester on August 22, 23, and 24. This training aimed to equip clinicians with essential tools to diagnose and treat mental health conditions commonly encountered in pediatric and family practice settings. Read more about Valley Health’s collaboration with The REACH Institute.

Other notable moments:

• Valley Health was named one of America’s Best-In-State Employers for 2024 by Forbes. This prestigious award is a testament to Valley Health’s commitment to creating an outstanding workplace environment for its employees.
• Valley Health opened new location for Valley Health Family Care Center for Frederick County Public Schools employees.

October

Valley Health announced the opening of the Valley Health Emergency, Psychiatric Assessment, Treatment, and Healing (EmPATH) unit at Winchester Medical Center (WMC) with a ribbon cutting on October 17, 2024, and will be open to patients on October 29, 2024. This new facility is the first of its kind in the Northern Shenandoah Valley, offering immediate mental health care in a therapeutic environment and setting a new standard for mental health crisis care. Learn more about Valley Health’s EmPATH unit here.

Other notable moments:

• Valley Health announced its recognition as a leader in healthcare information technology, achieving Level 8 in both the Acute and Ambulatory surveys of the 2024 Digital Health Most Wired Survey conducted by the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME). Read more about Valley Health’s recognition by CHIME here.
• To combat the ongoing opioid crisis, War Memorial Hospital announced the launch of the Naloxbox initiative, a program designed to make naloxone—an essential life-saving medication—accessible to everyone in our community, free from stigma and barriers.
• Valley Health opened new lab services at a convenient location on Amherst Street, Winchester.

November

Valley Health’s two acute care hospitals – Warren Memorial Hospital (WMH) and Winchester Medical Center (WMC) – have once again earned “A” Hospital Safety Grades from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog organization focused on patient safety. WMC earned its 10th straight “A” and WMH its 6th straight “A” grade in the fall 2024 Hospital Safety Grades release. WMH is among an elite group of only 15 hospitals in Virginia to have earned six consecutive “A” grades since the spring of 2022. WMC is one of only 13 hospitals in the state to demonstrate “A” grade patient safety ten times in a row since the spring of 2020. Read more about Valley Health’s top tier patient safety performance here.

Other notable moments:

• Valley Health announced that Harry Smith, Chairman of the Valley Health Board of Trustees, has been honored with the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association (VHHA) Excellence in Governance Award. This prestigious award recognizes Harry’s outstanding leadership, dedication, and significant contributions to healthcare governance in Virginia.
• N. Travis Clark, Valley Health vice president of operations at Page Memorial Hospital (PMH) in Luray, VA, and Shenandoah Memorial Hospital (SMH) in Woodstock, VA, was honored with the prestigious Community Star Award by the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH). Clark, nominated by the Virginia State Office of Rural Health, is the sole healthcare executive in Virginia to receive this accolade this year.
• Valley Health and Blue Ridge Hospice expanded their collaborative Hospice in the Hospital program to Warren Memorial Hospital in Front Royal, VA. Read more about the collaboration here.
• Valley Health announced that the Heart & Vascular Center at Winchester Medical Center (WMC) will be renamed the Clyde A. Smith Heart & Vascular Center. Read more about the naming of Heart and Vascular Center here.
• Valley Health held a Remembrance Service at Winchester Medical Center (WMC) honoring the selfless donors and their families who have given the extraordinary gift of life to others. Read more about the Remembrance Service here.
• Valley Health announced the opening of the new Strasburg Medical Office Building, a cutting-edge facility designed to enhance healthcare access and services for the community of Strasburg and surrounding areas.
• Interventional Pain Specialists joined the Valley Health family.

December

Winchester Medical Center’s Auxiliary hosted the community for the 37th annual Lights of Love tree lighting ceremony. The highlight of the evening was the announcement of the “tree lighter,” a volunteer chosen by the Auxiliary to honor their significant contributions to the Winchester Medical Center community. This special individual was revealed at the ceremony. This year's honorary tree lighter was Helena Catapano, who is the current treasurer of the Auxiliary.

Other notable moments:

• War Memorial Hospital Auxiliary hosted Points of Lights to usher in the holiday season in style.
• Santa visited our friends at Wellspring.
• Warren Memorial Hospital was honored with the prestigious Leapfrog Top Teaching Hospital Award for their three-year community residency training program at Front Royal Family practice.