Promise Made, Promise Kept

A Look at the Success of the Loudoun County/Inova Merger

Loudoun Hospital merged with the Inova Health System on March 7, 2005, combining the resources of two not-for-profit community healthcare systems to fulfill Loudoun’s vision of developing a comprehensive hospital system anchored by a nationally-recognized community healthcare provider.

One of the fastest-growing counties in the country, Loudoun needed a comprehensive plan for establishing sophisticated healthcare services to improve access for the entire community. The ground-breaking merger brought the future of healthcare to Loudoun County residents.

The partnership directed resources into a major expansion of healthcare services across Loudoun County, including a series of capital investments and quality improvements to the main Lansdowne Campus, the downtown Leesburg Campus, and Countryside Ambulatory Surgery Center. In addition, the merger funded health centers strategically located around Loudoun County, ensuring access to quality healthcare for all residents.

PROGRAM ELEMENTS
Inova invested more than $200 million to expand Loudoun’s services by funding both new projects and services while expanding existing programs. These projects included:

Building a new patient tower to expand the Lansdowne Hospital from 155 to 183 beds
Enhancing the heart and vascular program with the addition of a dedicated cardiac catheterization laboratory and integration with the Inova Heart and Vascular Institute
Expanding the peripheral arterial disease clinic
Expanding the cancer center and adding a new linear accelerator and CT simulator
Expanding MRI and CT services
Enhancing information systems
Expanding the Emergency Department with the introduction of a dedicated Pediatric Emergency Department
Increasing the bed capacity of the Pediatric Care Unit
Creating a second ambulatory surgery center
Creating a pediatric hospitalist program to ensure high quality care for pediatric patients
Developing an adult hospitalist program to ensure high quality care for adult patients
Establishing a program for 24/7 obstetrician coverage
Expanding the Ladies Board Birthing Inn to facilitate plans for a comprehensive Women’s and Children’s Center
Creating The Shaufeld Family Heart Center at Lansdowne, and affiliating it with the Inova Heart and Vascular Institute
Building new health centers in Dulles South, Purcellville and Lovettsville to provide healthcare services, such as urgent care, radiology and physical therapy to underserved Loudoun County areas
Designing educational programs to help nursing and allied health students achieve academic success and subsequent employment in the community

RESULTS
Only six months after the merger was complete, Inova Loudoun Hospital began implementing the programs it promised, accelerating the introduction of sophisticated, high quality healthcare services within the county. Inova Loudoun Hospital achieved Magnet Recognition for Nursing Excellence. In spring 2005, the enhanced cancer center was opened at the Landsdowne Campus. By September 2005, the cardiac catheterization lab was 95 percent finished, and the peripheral arterial disease clinic and the new MRI center were complete. At this time, additions and renovations to both the emergency department and the pediatric emergency department aw well as multiple other Vision projects were also underway. Additionally, an aggressive partnership with the Loudoun County Public Schools began, introducing high school students to careers in clinical fields.

Inova Loudoun Hospital has realized its vision of becoming an advanced community hospital offering comprehensive, sophisticated treatment and care to county residents. Since the merger, the hospital has not rerouted a single patient for emergency care services, and it has the county’s only Pediatric Emergency Department as well as a Heart and Vascular Center.

Increased Services: Inova implemented a Stroke Prevention Program and expanded its Partnership for Healthier Kids Program to Loudoun County. Additionally, it added a cardiac catheterization lab, which has allowed nearly 300 patients per year to receive care close to home. Now, as the Inova Loudoun Hospital expands from 155 to 183 beds, 24/7 adult and pediatric physician coverage is standard. The merger resulted in the addition of a new 64-slice CT scanner to the Lansdowne Campus. In spring 2008, the Landsdowne West Wing will expand to include an additional 12 ICU beds linked with e-ICU and 16 medical/surgical beds. It will also include a new, state-of-the-art pharmacy. In addition to a new radiology department, the Leesburg Campus will expand its Emergency Department with the opening of a new four-story medical office building to better serve western Loudoun County residents.

More Doctors and Medical Staff Inova helped fund additional programs for Loudoun, while attracting the physicians and medical staff to administer them. With the assistance of Inova, a number of new physicians have established practices in Loudoun County. Inova Loudoun has increased number of physicians from 443 on March 7, 2005, to nearly 700 with 65 specialties and an obstetrician in the hospital at all times. In addition, physicians can consult with peers in the areas of expertise within the Inova Health System. U.S. News & World Report ranks Inova Fairfax Hospital among the Top 50 hospitals in the nation in five clinical specialties, including heart and cancer care, which is the most rankings for any hospital in the Washington region.

Expanded Access The Inova Medical Center - Dulles South opened in the summer of 2007, providing residents in this booming corner of Loudoun County with better access to high-quality healthcare services, including urgent care, physician services, diagnostic radiology and physical therapy. Inova also purchased 94 acres on Route 50 for phased development of new outpatient and inpatient services, leading eventually to the establishment of a new community hospital to serve the entire Dulles corridor region. Planned services include operating rooms, diagnostic Imaging, laboratory, physical medicine, rehabilitation services, a pharmacy and physician offices. In addition, Inova Medical Center-Purcellville is currently under construction and scheduled to open in winter 2008. Inova has also executed a letter of intent to establish the Inova Medical Center in the new Lovettsville town center. In Middleburg, Inova has increased the rotation of specialists into the community.

The merger between Loudoun Hospital and Inova was based on one single standard: excellence. The vision was to enhance an existing high-quality community-based not-for-profit hospital, ensuring quality healthcare services. The future of healthcare in Loudoun began on March 5, 2005, and continues today as residents and visitors enjoy world-class healthcare.