OhioHealth president appointed to Congressional committee to improve VA healthcare options for veterans

OhioHealth president and CEO, Dave Blom, appointed to

Congressional Commission on Care

Group aims to examine and improve veteran’s access to healthcare

COLUMBUS, Ohio — OhioHealth announced today that Dave Blom, president and CEO of OhioHealth, has been named one Blom, Dave of 15 members to serve on the newly formed Congressional “Commission on Care.”

Created by the U.S. Congress last year as part of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014, the Commission on Care has been tasked with improving healthcare options and outcomes for the millions of veterans who have served our country.

“I am honored and grateful to be called on to serve,” said Blom, “We have a tremendous challenge and opportunity before us to improve access to healthcare for our veterans and I am confident we can make it better for those who have sacrificed so much.”

Among other things, the Commission intends to;

examine access of veterans to healthcare from the Department of Veterans Affairs
strategically examine how best to organize the Veterans Health Administration
improve interaction between the VA Health Administration and the private healthcare system and
locate health care resources, and deliver health care more efficiently to veterans.

The Commission will be composed of fifteen voting members appointed in equal parts (three appointees each) by the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, the Majority and Minority Leader of the Senate, and the President of the United States.

It will submit an interim report no later than 90 days after their initial meeting and a final report no later than 180 days to the President and the Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs. The law terminates the Commission 30 days after it submits its final report.

Blom was appointed to the Commission by Speaker of the House John Boehner with the support and endorsement of congressional members from central Ohio, Joyce Beatty, Steve Stivers and Pat Tiberi. Dave’s candidacy also had the support of congressional members throughout the state, including Bill Johnson, Jim Jordan, Bob Latta and Brad Wenstrup.

"Dave's commitment to our nation's veterans and improving their care makes him the perfect choice for the VA's Commission on Care," said congressman Steve Stivers.

“Dave’s exemplary credentials and outstanding leadership will be a pivotal asset for the VA Commission on Care,” said Congresswoman Joyce Beatty. “I look forward to continuing to work with a trusted partner and friend in finding solutions to the critical challenges facing our nation’s veterans and their access to care.”

Blom has been with OhioHealth since 1983 and has been its president and CEO since 2002.

OhioHealth is a large, not-for-profit, faith-based healthcare system with 11 hospitals and more than 50+ healthcare sites covering a 40 county area in Ohio. It has been recognized as one of the top five large health systems in the country by Truven Health Analytics six of the last seven years and named to FORTUNE’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” for the last nine years.

Last year, its 28,000 associates, physicians and volunteers handled:

152,000 inpatient admissions + observation stays
493,000 Total ED visits
94,000 hospital surgeries
+2.7 million outpatient visits

More about OhioHealth

OhioHealth is a nationally recognized, not-for-profit, charitable, healthcare organization with Methodist roots. Based in Columbus, Ohio, OhioHealth is currently recognized as one of the top five large health systems in America by Truven Health Analytics, an honor it has received six times. It is also recognized by FORTUNE Magazine as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” and has been for nine years in a row, 2007-2015.

Serving its communities since 1891, it is a family of 28,000 associates, physicians and volunteers, and a network of 11 hospitals, 50+ ambulatory sites, hospice, home-health, medical equipment and other health services spanning a 40-county area.

OhioHealth hospitals include OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital, OhioHealth Grant Medical Center, OhioHealth Doctors Hospital, OhioHealth Grady Memorial Hospital, OhioHealth Dublin Methodist Hospital, OhioHealth Hardin Memorial Hospital, OhioHealth Marion General Hospital, OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital, OhioHealth MedCentral Mansfield Hospital, OhioHealth MedCentral Shelby Hospital and OhioHealth Rehabilitation Hospital. For more information, please visit our website at www.ohiohealth.com.

For more information about the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014 Highlights, please go to: https://veterans.house.gov/the-veterans-access-choice-and-accountability-act-of-2014-highlights