Valley Health Plan, a Physician Hospital Organization (PHO), is jointly owned by RMH and local physicians. VHP works closely with private physician practices to provide them with the resources and assistance they need to recruit new physicians to the area.

The Hospital

Founded in 1912, Rockingham Memorial Hospital (RMH) is an independent, not-for-profit community hospital that provides advanced medical care and cutting edge technology. RMH is currently in the process of relocating to a new 254-acre site on the edge of town (to be complete by early 2010). Community wellness and outreach are the primary cornerstones of the overall mission of RMH.

Rockingham Memorial Hospital:

. Serves a seven-county area with a population of approximately 200,000
. Has 270 beds
. Employs approximately 2,000 people
. Supports a credentialed medical staff of nearly 250
. Has a volunteer staff of more than 500


Annual services provided at Rockingham Memorial Hospital are as follows:

Total admissions (including newborns)....approaching 16,000

Newborn admissions (deliveries).....approaching 1,800

Surgical patients........more than 19,000

Emergency department visits.......more than 69,000

Registered outpatients (lab and X-ray)....more than 100,000

RMH Regional Cancer Center cancer treatments...more than 16,000

The Community

Location: Rockingham Memorial Hospital is located in Harrisonburg, VA. in the heart of the central Shenandoah Valley. Nestled between the Allegheny and the Blue Ridge Mountains, the area provides easy access to interstates, airports and railroads.

Industry: Agribusiness is the area's dominant industry, but numerous large manufacturing facilities are also housed here, including Merck, Inc., Coors Brewing Company, Marshalls, Inc., R. R. Donnelley & Sons Co., Inc., Walker Manufacturing and Wal-Mart. Telecommunications, construction, engineering, finance, insurance and real estate are also important local industries, and many new stores and restaurants have recently located in the area, giving the Harrisonburg-Rockingham County area one of the lowest unemployment rates in Virginia.

Recreational/Cultural Activities: The area's natural features and historical roots combine to provide a wide range of activities, including skiing, snowboarding, hiking, camping, mountain biking, fishing, canoeing and river rafting. Other attractions include theatres, art galleries, indoor/outdoor water park, museums, festivals, vineyards, civil war sites and much more.

Education: The central Shenandoah Valley is a center for higher education. James Madison University, Bridgewater College, Eastern Mennonite University and Blue Ridge Community College are all located here. Children are afforded a good education through the Harrisonburg and Rockingham County public school systems; students in both systems consistently score at or above state and national averages on achievement tests. Several highly rated private elementary and secondary schools are also located in the area.


**J-1 CANDIDATES** -- SORRY, WE ARE NOT CURRENTLY DESIGNATED AS A HPSA AREA and cannot accept J-1 applicants in Harrisonburg.