Regions Hospital leader, virtuwell.com honored as Leaders in Health Care

Brock Nelson, president and CEO for Regions Hospital, and virtuwell online clinic receive awards for efforts to improve health care and service

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — Nov. 5, 2014 — Winners of Minnesota Business Magazine’s Leaders in Health Care awards were recently announced, with Brock Nelson, president and chief executive officer of Regions Hospital, and virtuwell.com, an online convenience clinic, receiving top-honors in their respective award categories. The awards are presented to individuals and organizations for their commitment to provide the best possible care and service for patients.

In the Lifetime Achievement category, Brock Nelson was honored for his contributions during a 40–year career in hospital administration. Nelson joined Regions Hospital in 2003 and has led its transformation to a facility with a national reputation for being a top–performer. The hospital has achieved significant improvement in patient experience, health and quality outcomes under his leadership. In addition to his current position, Nelson has held roles with United Hospital in St. Paul and Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota. While Nelson plans to retire at the end of 2014, his work to put patients and families at the center of health care leaves an indelible mark on the industry in Minnesota.

In the Software/Web Application category, virtuwell.com took the top spot as an online service that’s innovative, effective and geared to health care. The mobile– and web–based online clinic is shown to deliver clinically effective care with proven cost savings and high customer satisfaction. As published in Health Affairs, virtuwell shows an average cost that’s $88 lower per episode than comparable care received in a traditional setting. The clinic has treated more than 110,000 cases so far and costs $45 per treatment; insurance is accepted and follow-up care is free.

In addition to these award winners, finalists from HealthPartners and Park Nicollet were placed in the following award categories:

• Health care executive: Mary Brainerd, president and chief executive officer for HealthPartners
• Interior design/architecture project: Park Nicollet for its new Women’s Center
• Employee wellness program: Regions Hospital for the “Be Well” health and well-being program
• Health care practitioner: Gwen Verchota, APN, care development manager for virtuwell<
• Change agent: Michael Rosenbloom, MD, HealthPartners Center for Memory and Aging