For his service to the local community and broader health-care world, Virginia Hospital Center president/CEO James Cole has been honored by the General Assembly.
“James Cole’s leadership has truly been an asset to the Arlington and Northern Virginia communities,” said Del. Patrick Hope (D-Arlington). “The Virginia General Assembly wishes to express our admiration and gratitude for Mr. Cole’s transformational guidance of the hospital and his contributions to the health-care profession.”
Cole has served in staff positions with Virginia Hospital Center for more than three decades, including 20 years as CEO. He postponed his planned retirement in 2020 to guide the hospital through the initial stages of the pandemic.
“I would like to thank the General Assembly for their recognition of Virginia Hospital Center’s place in the Northern Virginia community,” Cole said in a statement. “I am immensely thankful for the support I have received from the hospital and for the hard work of its dedicated employees, without whom this honor would not have been possible.”
Cole has helped Virginia Hospital Center grow into an award-winning, nationally recognized medical center, ranked by Truven Health Analytics as one of the top 100 hospitals in the country for three consecutive years and one of the top 50 cardiovascular hospitals for two consecutive years.
Virginia Hospital Center is the only hospital in the region invited to join the Mayo Clinic Care Network, and currently is in the midst of a $250 million expansion of its main campus in Arlington.