Congressman Cantor visits MCV Hospitals for security update

By Lorraine Cichowski
VCU News Services

RICHMOND, VA – Congressman Eric Cantor (R-VA) called VCU’s Medical College of Virginia Hospitals "the first line of defense" and said that he would fight for additional federal resources, if needed, to guarantee that MCV Hospitals is prepared to handle victims of biological and chemical terrorism.

"In our fight to secure our homeland in the face of a biological or chemical attack, nothing is more critical than ensuring the preparedness of our health care system," Cantor said during a site visit Monday to MCVH by his Congressional Safety and Security Council. "Enhancing readiness and response capability is essential to avoid a health care crisis."

Cantor created the council in late November to identify potential targets of terrorism in Virginia’s Seventh District, which includes Richmond. The 26-member council, which includes representatives from state and local government and the private sector, is preparing recommendations to submit to President Bush’s director of Homeland Security, Tom Ridge.

Among the council members is Sheldon M. Retchin, M.D., senior executive vice president and chief operating officer of the VCU Health System. Retchin on Monday led a 90-minute presentation and open discussion that included an overview of MCVH’s response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and plans to expand MCVH’s capacity to handle victims of terrorism.

"The VCU Health System is relied upon heavily as the primary hub in Central Virginia for health care support and related logistical activity during a nuclear, biological and chemical terrorist attack," Retchin said. "However, resources are limited, and that constrains our ability to act in large-scale scenarios."

Other presentations were given by Donna Katen-Bahensky, chief operating officer of MCV Hospitals and Clinics; Dean W. Broga, Ph.D., co-chair of the External Emergency Preparedness Committee, and Michael Edmond, M.D., hospital epidemiologist.