Obesity, the uninsured and the lack of faculty to train nurses.

Those were some of the health care concerns in the commonwealth noted Tuesday by Marilyn Tavenner, Virginia's Secretary of Health and Human Resources. She came to the Jefferson Center's Fitzpatrick Hall in Roanoke to address the 46th annual meeting of the Council of Community Services.

"The good news is everyone is focused on health," Tavenner said. "The bad news is everyone is focused on health."

The interest in health care has led to a long list of priorities, Tavenner said. Gov. Tim Kaine has established a health reform commission to examine some of those issues, she said.

The commission is focusing on four areas: the health care work force; prevention, quality and consumer choice; access to care; and long-term care and consumer choice.

Other state commissions, task forces and councils also are looking at health care quality, information technology, Medicaid and the health care work force.

Tavenner, who was born in Martinsville and received her nursing degree from what was then Roanoke Memorial Hospital, emphasized that 1 million Virginians, or about 14 percent of state residents, are uninsured.

Other key points Tavenner made Tuesday:

n Concern for Virginia's high rate of obesity and the increase in both infant mortality and teen smoking rates.

n A statewide shortage of nurses, complicated by the fact that there are fewer faculty to teach nursing students.

n The state exploring a potential statewide quality system for consumers, building on data already compiled by Medicare, insurance companies and some hospitals.

Tavenner acknowledged after Tuesday's lunch meeting that solutions to these and other health care issues do not come easily.

"Will we solve this problems in four years? Heck no. To me, if we move the needle, then we make some forward progress," on which future administrations can follow up, she said.