HCA Virginia hospitals care for more hearts, veins and arteries than any other health system in Central Virginia and that commitment extends well beyond hospital walls.
Through investments in CPR education, AED access and blood pressure monitoring, HCA Virginia and its partners are helping Virginians take action to prevent cardiac emergencies and save lives.
Heart health starts long before a patient ever enters a hospital. It starts in neighborhoods, workplaces, schools and community centers where people gather, learn and take action to protect their health.
That belief has guided HCA Virginia’s community impact work as the organization has partnered with several nonprofits across the Commonwealth to expand access to blood pressure monitoring, CPR education and lifesaving AEDs. Through investments totaling $1 million over 5 years and additional projects impacting community health and safety across the Commonwealth, HCA Virginia has helped place 50 AEDs across the Commonwealth and trained 2,500 learners in CPR — strengthening the chain of survival for cardiac emergencies and building healthier, more prepared communities.
Those efforts are rooted in a deep clinical commitment to cardiovascular care across the region. Earlier this year, Henrico Doctors’ Hospital was named one of the nation’s 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals for the third consecutive year, based on an independent quality analysis by Premier, Inc. and published by Modern Healthcare. And last year, Chippenham Hospital earned the highest possible 3-star rating from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons for patient care and outcomes in bypass surgery for the fourth consecutive time, placing it among the elite heart bypass surgery programs in the U.S. and Canada.
Together, those distinctions reinforce the same message behind HCA Virginia’s community work: improving heart health means combining excellent clinical care with practical prevention efforts that reach people where they live.
These efforts have been made possible through long-term partnerships with the American Heart Association, the Greater Richmond YMCA, Compress and Shock Foundation and Gwyneth’s Gift Foundation. Together, these collaborations are helping Virginians better understand their heart health, respond in emergencies and take simple, meaningful steps that can save lives.
“Improving heart health is about more than clinical care. It is about giving communities the tools, knowledge, and confidence to take action before an emergency happens,” said Dr. Jenn Bocker, chief medical officer with HCA Healthcare’s Capital Division. “Our partnerships across Virginia are designed to make that support visible and accessible where people live, work and gather.”
Expanding access to everyday heart-health tools
At the Greater Richmond YMCA, HCA Virginia awarded a grant to fund blood pressure kiosks in area branches, making it easier for community members to check an important indicator of cardiovascular health in a familiar, accessible setting. The goal is straightforward: help more people know their numbers and take action earlier.
Supporting prevention also means building confidence and readiness around cardiac emergencies. Through a three-year partnership with Compress and Shock Foundation, HCA Virginia has invested $60,000 in efforts to expand CPR education and AED access across Virginia. That work matters because when someone goes into cardiac arrest, the people closest to them are often the first and best chance for survival.
HCA Virginia has also partnered with Gwyneth’s Gift Foundation to support AED placement and learner events, helping place more devices in the community and train more people to use them. In moments that matter most, that kind of preparation can make the difference between tragedy and survival.
“Every AED placed and every person trained in CPR represents a stronger chance to save a life,” said Christopher Finley, assistant vice president for community engagement with HCA Healthcare’s Capital Division. “That is the heart of this work: building healthier communities through practical, high-impact partnerships.”
A deeper commitment through the American Heart Association
HCA Virginia’s community investment in heart health also extends to its long-running collaboration with the American Heart Association. In 2025, HCA Healthcare and the HCA Healthcare Foundation announced $3.9 million in support of their ongoing partnership with the AHA to help better treat, beat and prevent stroke. Since 2022, hospitals participating in the Getting to the Heart of Stroke™ initiative — including Johnston-Willis Hospital — have improved identification of the cause of stroke by 33%, driven by care team collaboration, best-practice sharing and greater use of evidence-based diagnostic testing.
In Virginia, that broader commitment has been visible in local leadership and fundraising, including Devin Tobin, chief operating officer of Henrico Doctors’ Hospital, serving as Heart Walk chair and HCA Virginia ranking as the top fundraising company for the third straight year.
“The support of HCA Virginia and the HCA Healthcare Foundation has allowed us to broaden our reach, strengthen our outcomes, and meet so many wonderful people who have been impacted by our work together,” said Michelle Nostheide, executive director of the American Heart Association in Central Virginia. “We are grateful to have the resources to meet local needs, to build healthier communities, and to bring hope to families across our region.”
Community impact that adds up
Taken together, these efforts reflect a simple but powerful strategy: meet people where they are, remove barriers to prevention and build community capacity to respond when emergencies happen.
By investing in blood pressure monitoring, CPR training and AED access, HCA Virginia and its partners are helping create healthier communities and stronger outcomes across Virginia. The work is practical, measurable and deeply human — the kind of community engagement that can improve lives today and save them tomorrow.