"Top Docs" ad campaign suit resolved

Virtua may continue advertising that it has the most Top Docs as a result of a Consent Order agreed to by the parties in the suit brought by Cooper against Virtua in February 2009.

In an agreement reached in the United States District Court in Camden, New Jersey, both parties will provide clear explanations of their methodologies when making claims about top docs. In addition, they agree to remove doctors from their respective lists who are employed by the other organization or who sit on the Board of Trustees of the other's organization if those doctors request that their names be removed.

"We are pleased that this has been resolved," said Richard P. Miller, President and CEO of Virtua. "It is in no one's best interest to use healthcare dollars for suits in lieu of market competition. We are more than willing to compete in the free market for market share. It is foolhardy and a waste of taxpayer dollars to take these matters to the courts and argue about how we count Top Docs. It is vitally important that we spend these hard earned dollars on patient care services."

"I am confident," said Miller, "that the public recognizes that Virtua has some of the finest physicians in the region. This is born out by the fact that more people choose Virtua for care than any other healthcare provider in southern New Jersey. Our mission is to focus on providing a consistently outstanding patient experience."

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 7,900 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 A.I. duPont Hospital for Children. 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 our website at www.virtua.org or call 1-888-VIRTUA-3 (1-888-847-8823)

Source: http://www.virtua.org