Health care

BioTech park lands British firm

A British firm that has come up with a product to kill high-powered bacteria has become the 56th company in the Virginia BioTechnology Research Park in downtown Richmond. Biocontrol Ltd.  of London opened an office in an existing building in the park and will operate as a U.S. based affiliate under the name Biocontrol International… Read more »

HandCraft opens hospital linen plant

Last week local launderer HandCraft opened a 60,000 square foot facility dedicated to hospital linen. The company poured $9.6 million into the building, which is on Cofer Road in Richmond’s South Side. Construction started in March of 2007 after a lengthy closing process.

Former Anthem exec sues health insurer

A former medical director at Anthem has filed a lawsuit alleging the company forced him to leave in July of 2006 after he exposed a cozy relationship with a drug company. Dr. Randy Axelrod, 51, who was a vice president in charge of health care management for Anthem’s parent, WellPoint, claims that he was dismissed… Read more »

Richmond doc wants to create a database for surgeries

Dr. William Jiranek has for years tried unsuccessfully to set up a state-wide database that tracks patients who receive joint replacements. Jiranek, who works in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at the VCU Medical Center, said that so far only six of an estimated 200 doctors doing joint replacement in Virginia are participating.

A Richmond startup tries to cut health care costs

A Richmond startup thinks there’s a market for treating health care more like car repairs – encouraging employees to pay out-of-pocket for routine tune-ups and letting insurance cover the accidents and emergencies. Hoping to implement this style of health care on a broader scale, nHealth recently raised $12 million, with most of that money coming… Read more »

Health care is area’s largest private employer

Health care is now the largest private employer in the Richmond area, according to the Times-Dispatch’s Top 50 Employer story. VCU Health Systems ranked as the No. 1 private employer for the first time. Bon Secours and Richmond Health Systems were both in the top 10.“Today health care firms in the top 10 account for… Read more »