Virtua recognized for workplace efforts to prevent cancer
Virtua has been re-accredited by the CEO Cancer Gold Standard, recognizing the health system’s commitment to reduce cancer risks for its employees. The CEO Cancer Gold Standard accreditation from the CEO Roundtable on Cancer is reserved for companies that meet or exceed rigorous requirements, and puts Virtua in the company of Johnson & Johnson, The Lance Armstrong Foundation, and Duke Medicine.
“We work hard to provide the best resources possible to our employees, including smoking cessation, weight loss and fitness programs,” said
Richard P. Miller, Virtua President and CEO. “From the beginning, Virtua has sought ways to keep our employees healthy, and this accreditation reaffirms that commitment.”
The accreditation is part of an intense process. To earn Gold Standard accreditation, a company or organization must establish programs to reduce cancer risk through discouraging tobacco use, encouraging physical activity and teaching diet and nutrition, detecting cancer at its earliest stages, and providing access to quality care and clinical trials.
“We are pleased to recognize the efforts of these organizations in the fight against cancer, starting with improving the health and wellness of their own employees,” said
William C. Weldon, chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson, who chairs the CEO Roundtable on Cancer. “I hope the commitment demonstrated by these organizations will encourage other employers, large and small, to become Gold Standard accredited.”
Highlights of Virtua’s employee wellness programs include implementation of a totally tobacco-free environment for patients, employees and guests. Participants in Virtua’s walking challenge have logged tens of thousands of miles. The word “wellness” has been elevated to a strategic imperative for all of Virtua’s food service vendors, resulting in healthier cafeteria menu selections and nutritional education. Employees enrolled in weight loss programs have shed tons.
Statistics show that these efforts have a tangible impact. The American Cancer Society estimates that at least half of all cancer deaths can be avoided and programs such as those established under the guidance of the CEO Roundtable help reduce cancer mortality.
Virtua is a comprehensive multi-hospital healthcare system headquartered in Marlton, NJ. Its mission is to deliver a world-class patient experience through its programs of excellence in cancer treatment, cardiology, orthopaedics, women's health, pediatrics, surgery, neuroscience and wellness. A non-profit organization, Virtua employs 8,400 clinical and administrative personnel, and approximately 1,800 physicians serve as medical staff members. Virtua has distinguished itself as one of the first Six Sigma organizations in healthcare, as an early adopter of clinical and digital technologies, and for its innovative partnerships with nationally renowned organizations such as
GE Healthcare,
Fox Chase Cancer Center and
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). It has been honored twice with the New Jersey Governor's award for Clinical Excellence and recognized with the Leadership Award for Outstanding Achievement by Voluntary Hospitals of America. Virtua has been honored as the #1 Best Employer in the Delaware Valley by the
Philadelphia Business Journal and is the recipient of the Consumer Choice Awards by National Research Corporation. Virtua is proud to be the official southern New Jersey sponsor of the Go Red for Women and Start! Walking Movements. For more information, visit
www.virtua.org or call 1-888-VIRTUA-3 (1-888-847-8823).