Network: December 2008
Members of the Team
Sentara’s Participation in EASE Trial Nets Coverage On September 25, 2008, WAVY-TV Channel 10 covered Sentara’s participation in an international trial known as EASE (Exhale Airway Stents for Emphysema). Sentara Cardiovascular Research Institute is one of only 24 sites in the United States enrolled in the trial, which suggests stents may offer a new treatment option for patients suffering from emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). News of the trial was also distributed nationally via the Market Wire news release distribution service. You can find more
information on the program on Sentara's Web site or the
EASE trial Web site.
Orthopaedic Hospital at Sentara CarePlex Makes Headlines
The September 22, 2008, issue of
Inside Business reported that construction is underway on a 55,000- square-foot expansion project at Sentara CarePlex Hospital dedicated exclusively to orthopedic services. Anticipated to open in early 2010, the Orthopaedic Hospital at Sentara CarePlex will be the region’s only dedicated orthopedic hospital, providing patients access to the full complement of orthopedic services from pre-habilitation and surgery to rehabilitation and home care services. An article about the project also appeared in
The Daily Press. Read the
press release.
Sentara BelleHarbour Success Praised in Suffolk Newspaper A September 13, 2008, article in the
Suffolk News Herald includes quotes from Kurt Hofelich, vice president of ambulatory services for Sentara, stating that Sentara BelleHarbour has had very good support from the community, treating approximately 7,500 patients since the facility opened in June 2008. The outpatient medical center in North Suffolk features an emergency department, imaging center, Sentara Medical Group practice, sleep center and physician therapy center.
Read the article.
Charlottesville Television Station Covers Sentara Home Care Expansion WVIR-TV Channel 29 (NBC) in Charlottesville, Va., ran a story September 10, 2008, announcing Sentara Home Care Service’s purchase of Martha Jefferson Hospital's Home Healthcare agency. The story notes Sentara plans to expand services to include in-home treatment technologies not currently offered in the Charlottesville area.
Read the press release.
Sentara Physician Quoted on www.dailypress.com
Medical Oncologist Elizabeth Harden, MD, of Virginia Oncology Associates, was quoted in an article entitled “Targeted Treatments Wage War on Breast Cancer” that appeared in early September 2008 on
The Daily Press Web site. The article mentions Harden’s husband, Richard Hoefer, physician and medical director of Sentara CarePlex Hospital's cancer program, whose mother donated money to fund the Dorothy G. Hoefer Comprehensive Breast Center.
Virginian-Pilot Article Touts Success of Sentara Medical Group An August 23, 2008, article in
The Virginian-Pilot discussed a national trend which shows a decline in the number of physicians who go into practice alone or with a partner. The article attributes this to overhead costs and insurance issues. The article noted, “That trend has fueled the rapid growth of Sentara Medical Group, the largest physician group in South Hampton Roads. Sentara started in 1995 with 63 physicians, and now it has more than 360.” The article quotes Dr. David Maizel, vice president and executive medical director of Sentara Medical Group.
Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center Featured in The Daily Press
An August 15, 2008, article in
The Daily Press, “Trash Police Turning This Hospital Green,” praised Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center and its Green Team volunteers for spearheading a 20 percent waste reduction which has resulted in a savings of $1,000 a month for the hospital. The hospital's recycling efforts have gained local and national attention, earning the hospital the 2007 Peninsula Clean Business Award from the York County Chamber of Commerce and recognition during the 2008 Practice Greenhealth Environmental Excellence Awards.
Discovery Channel Segment Filmed at Sentara Norfolk General HospitalA video team from The Discovery Channel visited Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in early August 2008 to film a segment about extraordinary bodies. The program’s focus is on George Bell, a Norfolk sheriff’s deputy who, at seven feet eight inches, is "The Tallest Man in America," according to Guinness World Records. Bell spent more than three hours in the 3T MRI as images were taken of his body structure and pituitary gland for the segment, scheduled to air later this year.
Cardiac Care at Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital Makes Television News On August 3, 2008, WTKR-TV Newschannel 3 reported that Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital is the second hospital in the state to achieve disease-specific care certification for its cardiac care, including treatment of heart failure and heart attacks.
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| Artist's rendering of Sentara Obici Hospital's three-story bed tower |
Sentara Obici Groundbreaking Covered by Suffolk Newspaper
An August 4, 2008, article in
The Suffolk News Herald reported on the
groundbreaking at Sentara Obici Hospital for a new, three-story bed tower, which will increase the hospital's inpatient capacity by 30 beds. The new addition, scheduled to debut in early 2010, will connect to the existing patient tower at the back of the hospital and increase bed capacity to 168 beds from 138, with many of the rooms going from semi-private to private.
Optima Health Award Covered in National Magazine
Optima Health’s Family Care Girls Community Basketball Program earned an American Health Insurance Plan (AHIP) award in the small/independent category and was featured in the July/August, 2008 issue of
AHIP Coverage: Healthcare News, Views, Trends and Insights. The award was also covered in a July 29, 2008, article in
The Virginian-Pilot.
Optima Health Mentioned in New York Times Article A July 23, 2008, article in
The New York Times, “Direct Mail Tries to Go Green. No, Really,” discusses how some direct marketers, including Optima Health, have formed a group to set standards and best practice guidelines for being environmentally responsible in their industry. The group calls itself the Green Marketing Coalition, and it includes Microsoft, Washington Mutual and Optima Health.
Read the article.