The Office of Administration (OA) provides strong leadership and operational support for Virginia’s public health system through administrative policy development, business process improvement and standards of business practice. OA effectively and efficiently manages VDH’s financial, procurement and human resource systems while collaborating with its service providers to meet their business needs. Through the leadership and efforts of dedicated administrators working behind the scenes, OA continues to support the agency’s mission of protecting and promoting the health of Virginians through quality customer service, compliance with mandates, continuous improvement of business systems and innovations in business practice.

Ensuring employees’ personal safety in the newly renovated James Madison Building continues to be a priority. With guidance from the Office of Emergency Medical Services, OA purchased and installed evacuation “Stair Chairs” on each floor of the Madison Building. These chairs quickly and safely transport disabled and injured employees down the staircase during an emergency or disaster and then convert to wheelchairs so employees can be taken to a safe area. Once the move to the Madison Building was complete, the Office of Purchasing and General Services (OPGS) initiated renovations in both the VDH pharmacy and warehouse located in the Monroe Building. This renovation project maximized space, improved security, and ergonomically enhanced work stations. To minimize costs, furniture systems previously used in the Main Street Station were recycled. A noteworthy result of this renovation was the space that was freed up in order to construct a secure storage facility for emergency medications needed during a crisis or disaster.

OPGS also collaborated with the Office of Information Management and Emergency Preparedness and Response in relocating the disaster recovery site to Central State Hospital. This remote site provides an environment to respond to a disaster that destroys or severely cripples the Madison Building computer systems, equipment, application systems and key VDH functions.

The Office of Human Resources (OHR) received positive recognition for developing the agency’s Workforce Plan, an ongoing, systematic assessment regarding the status of the VDH workforce and strategies to improve the agency’s position in the marketplace. With over 35 percent of the agency workforce eligible for retirement, succession planning and workforce development presents an ongoing challenge to the staff in OHR. In 2005, VDH achieved a 99 percent prompt pay rate while processing 93,621 vendor payments and adhering to statewide disbursement policies.