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Shenandoah University and Inova partner to extend medical graduate programs

Shenandoah University and Inova will collaborate to bring more medical education programs to Northern Virginia. The partnership, announced Thursday, will offer graduate programs in occupational therapy, physical therapy and physician assistant studies at the university’s Northern Virginia Campus, near Inova Loudoun Hospital in Loudoun County. The idea behind the effort is to strengthen the regional workforce.

The university, which currently offers some medical programs, will renovate additional space on its Northern Virginia Campus to house the new programs.
Inova and Shenandoah University have collaborated in the past on nursing and respiratory care programs at the Northern Virginia Campus. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with Inova, and look forward to a collaboration that will prepare our students with the outstanding resources and clinical experiences they need to serve as health care providers in the Northern Virginia region,” Shenandoah University President Tracy Fitzsimmons said in a statement.

Inova will provide $3.2 million in seed money to start the programs, building a six-table cadaver lab and leasing space for up to two years. It also will provide clinical and rotational experiences for students enrolled in the programs. Through the partnership, the two organizations said they would seek to create a pipeline for allied health students at Shenandoah’s Northern Virginia Campus directly into employment – including jobs within Inova’s integrated network of hospitals and outpatient care facilities.

“This is a win-win for both organizations, for future students, for graduating professionals and for the communities and patients that we serve,” CEO of Inova Knox Singleton said in a statement.

The curriculum, subject to approval by the appropriate accreditation associations, is scheduled to begin with a limited number of occupational therapy and physical therapy students in fall of 2014. As enrollment grows, it is anticipated that by August 2015 Shenandoah will absorb the full cost of the programs.

Delta Dental of Virginia announces new director of marketing and other promotions

Delta Dental of Virginia announced the appointment Thursday of a new director of marketing along with two promotions in its sales department.

Chris Pyle, former director of state government and public relations for the national Delta Dental Plans Association, has joined Delta Dental of Virginia, based in Roanoke, as its director of marketing and community relations.

For the past three years, Pyle has worked on health care reform and served as national spokesperson for Delta Dental Plans Association, representing the nation’s largest network of dental benefits carriers covering more than 60 million people. Before that, he was a health policy adviser and speechwriter for Ark. Gov. Mike Huckabee.

On the sales side, Dave Werner has been promoted from director of sales to vice president of sales.  In this position, Werner will oversee all sales activities, with an increased focus on the sale and retention of national and association accounts.

Duncan Sheils was promoted from sales account executive to director of sales and account management.  He will be responsible for managing sales and retention activities for small and mid-size group markets. 

Bill to remove unused tax credits from Virginia code

The House passed a bill Wednesday to eliminate 34 unclaimed tax credits from Virginia’s tax code.

The bill, SB 1296, introduced by Sen. Walter Stosch, R-Glen Allen, passed (92-6) after a debate on the floor. The bill will declare a tax credit “obsolete” if it hasn’t been claimed by any taxpayer for five years.

Citizens cannot claim tax credits that have been declared obsolete.

Del. Robert Bell, R-Charlottesville, questioned the intent and language of the bill, which was recommended 21-0 Monday from the Finance Committee.

In response, Del. James Massie, R-Henrico, said: “As a businessperson, if you have a product on your shelf and haven’t sold any in five years, that’s a pretty good indication. If you have a tax credit no one gives a rip about for five years, you should probably take them off the shelf.”

Bell’s concern, he said was that the people of Virginia would be unprepared.

“We’re not giving the individual the five years,” Bell said. “What if you’re in the fourth year and by no part of your own haven’t had any need for it, start to make plans and it goes away?”

Said Massie: “Any tax benefit we have that only one person in the commonwealth uses is unnecessary’

Del. Benjamin Cline, R-Lexington, said Bell had raised a good point.

“But I would hope someone looking to benefit (from a tax credit) would look into it and do their due diligence,” he said.

Del. Scott Survoll, D-Fairfax, said he fully supported the bill’s intent but was concerned about the mechanics.

“While we can put in a code that a tax credit is obsolete, in order to repeal a credit it has to be removed from the code,” he said. “How does the public find out?” 

The Department of Taxation will report annually on credits that have become obsolete and post them on the website, Cassie said.

Speaking on behalf of the joint subcommittee and finance committee, Del. Mark Keam, D-Vienna, clarified the bill.

“The way I understand this to be, the code language will stay,” Keam said.

A commission would examine every bill and determine whether tax credits were valid based on research, he said.

“At that point someone would submit a bill to repeal, and this would notify the public,” Keam said.