Medicine 

Network: February/March 2009

Sentara Advanced Radiosurgery Center Debuts with CyberKnife Technology
Cancer patients and others with benign diseases have a new treatment option. A minimally invasive procedure called CyberKnife was introduced to patients in January 2009 with the launch of the new Sentara Advanced Radiosurgery Center at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. The center launched with strong volumes due to the multi-disciplinary involvement by many different specialties. CyberKnife is a sophisticated, non-invasive method for treating tumors of the head, neck and body with targeted radiation. The technology offers unprecedented flexibility in treating tumors and uses computer-aided tracking to keep the radiation beam on the tumor even as patients breathe and move slightly during procedures.

Sentara Labs Standardize Cardiac Testing
Sentara Laboratory Services is finishing up a process of standardizing chemistry analyzers. One of the benefits of this standardization is the ability to perform identical cardiac markers for congestive heart failure (CHF) and acute myocardial infarction (MI) (ie, Troponin T, NT-proBNP and CK-MB) throughout our system. At one time there were multiple different technologies in use around the system for these markers, each with different reference ranges. New Roche chemistry analyzers will enhance patient safety by standardizing the information doctors receive.

Live Webcast to feature kidney transplant.

Living Donor Kidney Transplant Webcast Scheduled for March 25
Sentara's next live surgery webcast, scheduled for March 25, 2009, highlights the minimally invasive surgery for a living kidney donation and the surgery that allows this donated kidney to restore normal functioning for a person with kidney disease. Sentara surgeons participating include urologists Dr. Edwin Robey and Dr. Michael Fabrizio, and transplant surgeons Dr. John Colonna and Dr. A. David Salzberg. The webcast spotlights Sentara Norfolk General Hospital's kidney and transplant program which ranks among the busiest in the state as well as being ranked in the nation's top fifty kidney programs in the 2008 US News & World Report listing.

Sentara Laboratories Excel in Survey
Sentara Laboratories passed a College of American Pathologists survey with flying colors, ranking among the top three labs in the country in quality excellence, and the best the survey team had seen in employee relationships. The survey included inspection of all protocols and procedures relating to lab operations.