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Sentara. Your Community, Not-For-Profit Health Partner.
Our mission: We improve health every day.
Welcome to Sentara Healthcare, your community not-for-profit health partner in southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina - Sentara is proud to provide healthcare in America's first region. Sentara Healthcare is one of the most progressive and integrated health care organizations in the nation providing services to more than 2 million Hampton Roads residents.
Sentara operates more than 100 care giving sites, including seven acute care hospitals with a total of 1,728 beds, nine outpatient care facilities, seven nursing centers, three assisted living centers and about 360 primary care and multi-specialty physicians. Sentara also offers a full range of award-winning health coverage plans, home health and hospice services, physical therapy and rehabilitation services, including Nightingale - the region’s first air ambulance service.
Sentara also was the first in the nation to pioneer and develop the eICU®, a remote monitoring system for intensive care. Striving to improve the wellness of the community, Sentara continues to participate in national and international research trials as a means to increase the medical options available to patients well into the future.
 Sentara Fast Facts
Sentara Community Benefits
More Information:
Measuring Quality Health care
Patient Safety
Commitment to the Community
Mission, Vision and Values
Sentara's Promise to Its Patients
Sentara Historical Timeline
Since our health system’s earliest years, 120 years ago, we have believed the community deserves healthcare that is measurably better. The quality of healthcare is measured not merely by technology, because the latest equipment needs skilled, talented people to operate it.
What really matters is the result. Was the surgery successful? Was the outcome what you hoped for?
These results are the measures Sentara invites you to examine throughout our organization. You’ll find outcomes that soar above the national standards. Sentara reports nationally accepted quality measures of all seven Sentara hospitals. You'll find more information within the Quality at Sentara section of this Web site.
Sentara has consistently ranked among the nation’s top 100 integrated health care networks as published in Modern Healthcare based on rankings by Verispan, a health information company. In 2008, Verispan ranked Sentara Healthcare fifth nationwide in its top 100 integrated health care networks survey after examining nearly 600 networks. This marked the eleventh year in a row that Sentara has ranked within the top 10 of the list.
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Sentara’s culture of safety focuses on error and injury reduction through simplified rules of behavior for everyone working in the environment of care, from physicians and nurses to dietary and housekeeping staff. The program is focused on Behavior Based Expectations (BBEs) for all staff and department-specific “Red Rules’ for safety that govern every activity from patient care to facilities maintenance. Sentara monitors progress and improvements in patient safety and quality measures for each Sentara facility.
Sentara’s Culture of Safety was awarded the 2005 John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality award from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and the National Quality Forum.
In 2004, Sentara’s Culture of Safety initiative was also recognized by the American Hospital Association, which awarded Sentara Norfolk General Hospital the Quest for Quality award. Since then, the same safety principles have been instituted throughout Sentara’s integrated health care system of hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and physician practices. More information is available within the Sentara Patient Safety section of this Web site.
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Sentara’s bedrock institution was founded in 1888 in Norfolk as the 25-bed Retreat for the Sick. Today’s organization is truly an integrated healthcare system that provides patients with a cohesive and interlocking network of caregiving that spans from birth through the end of life.
As a not-for-profit healthcare organization, Sentara reinvests in the community in numerous ways - with the purchase of the most medically advanced technology; in new, state-of-the-art healthcare facilities; with training medical professionals and with providing the highest quality healthcare to all patients, regardless of their ability to pay. It’s not just our mission, it’s our commitment to the community.
The Sentara Health Foundation
The Sentara Health Foundation was established in 1998 to improve health and quality of life and to further Sentara’s not-for-profit mission of serving the community.
The foundation has touched the lives of many Virginia residents from the Eastern Shore to Greater Hampton Roads through grants supporting community programs. Specifically, it has awarded $4.7 million in grants, serving 339,000 people since its inception.
Programs include mobile dental care, prenatal support, medication assistance and reduced-cost primary care. The foundation also sponsors community events, such as the Komen Tidewater Race for the Cure and the American Heart Association Heart Gala and Heart Walk.
The foundation’s charge is to identify community health-related needs and enable solutions, with a primary focus on access to basic health care services, improved pregnancy outcomes, coalition building and services for the frail and at-risk elderly.
The Sentara Health Foundation is dedicated to responding to the community’s needs, not only by considering requests for specific financial funding, but also by proactively identifying needs and opportunities.
The foundation promotes coordination and cooperation among organizations and agencies focusing on the health of the community, encouraging synergism and avoiding duplication. It also seeks to identify health-related problems and unknown needs addressed by integrated solutions.
To give back to the community, Sentara Healthcare also relies on philanthropy. Gifts may be made through the Sentara Health Foundation to support its efforts.
In Support of the Community
Led by a volunteer community board of directors, Sentara proudly provides care to all people regardless of their ability to pay. As a not-for-profit healthcare organization, Sentara reinvests in the community in numerous ways.
Contributions
Each year, Sentara provides millions of dollars in benefits to the community. In 2007, Sentara provided approximately $135.6 million in benefits to the community, including $116.6 million in uncompensated patient care, $13.6 million in support of medical education and training, and $5.3 million in community health programs and donations. That equals more than $371,000 for each day in 2007.
Sentara employees provide annual contributions to the United Way, and numerous employees volunteer for “work crews” at United Way agencies for the annual Day of Caring.
Sentara is committed to providing quality health care to all, regardless of ability to pay. Under Sentara’s charity care policies, patients meeting certain financial criteria receive care without charge or with a significant discount. Sentara has also provided 16 percent of the total uncompensated care delivered in Virginia. This donation of resources far exceeded the contributions of other providers.
Medical Underserved
Sentara’s medical groups’ physicians and medical staffs volunteer thousands of hours to Eastern Virginia Medical School, area free clinics, community education and civic and charitable programs. Sentara’s priority is to open doors of access to basic health care that many Americans take for granted. For example poor dental health, one of the community’s greatest health needs, is being addressed through the area’s Dental Health Coalition, which is creating healthy smiles for people in the region.
Sentara supports and operates (uncompensated care clinics) throughout the region such as the Sentara Ambulatory Care Center. The ACC is a collaborative effort with Eastern Virginia Medical School and is located near Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. The ACC sees thousands of patients a year, and requires millions of dollars annually in operating subsidies by Sentara Norfolk General. It features an appointed side, which functions just like a doctor’s office and a same-day “walk-in” service side for more pressing and immediate health concerns. The appointed side offers a host of clinics available on a rotating basis throughout the week. The walk-in side functions like an urgent care center.
In Support of Education
ExploreHealth with Sentara
As part of our commitment to bringing you the latest in health information, Sentara offers ExploreHealth with Sentara®, an educational program that explores medical breakthroughs, innovative treatment options and contemporary health issues in our community.
Program components include:
30-minute weekly television programs
More patient stories and physician interview videos at the Sentara Video Center for quick viewing of information that's important to you and your health concerns.
Monthly newspaper publication featuring new medical breakthroughs and health information.
Live surgery Webcasts and archived editions of the Webcasts to see inside Sentara operating rooms for the latest surgical techniques and innovations.
Monthly eNewsletter delivered right to your email
www.sentara.com/explorehealth where you can view any show, any time via high-speed Internet access, look up past editions of ExploreHealth with Sentara print articles, and find out additional health information.
ExploreHealth with Sentara Center located in Virginia Beach for on-site educational programs and services
In Support of Community Health Initiatives
Sentara Community Health and Prevention
As part of Sentara’s commitment to preventive health measures, we present special community health initiatives that are designed to educate the community about issues affecting our health, right here at home. Sentara promotes information campaigns such as:
Eating for Life, a nutrition and healthy eating program
Know Your Numbers, a cardiovascular risk reduction and health improvement program
Walk-About with Healthy Edge, a walking program that encourages walking for cardiovascular health
Get Off Your Butt: Stay Smokeless for Life, a smoking cessation program
Healthy Heart Program, a cardiovascular disease reduction program
Sentara Living, a comprehensive wellness program for seniors
Sentara's Mobile Mammography Unit
The unit visits many work sites every year. Bringing health screenings to work sites helps encourage wellness and produce positive outcomes for the patients we serve. Screenings, such as mammograms, support early detection and, often, more successful treatment of breast cancer. Appointments can take as little as 15 minutes.
Sentara's Health Plans
Sentara founded the region’s first managed care plan, Optima Health Plan in 1984. It has been expanding options for a variety of customers ever since. Today, we offer employers and individuals a wide choice of cost-saving healthcare solutions that emphasize and support wellness. In addition to nationally recognized customer service, our plans feature programs to prevent disease and to help families stay well.
Diabetes and Asthma Management – an award-winning program that helps reduce emergency room visits and increase quality of life among our covered members
Partners in Pregnancy – an award winning program that helps at-risk mothers get important pre- and post-natal care
Workplace Wellness – mammograms, cholesterol and blood pressure checks
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Mission
We improve health every day.
Vision
Be the healthcare choice of the communities we serve.
Looking Ahead
To assure this, we constantly seek ways to expand and enhance our services. It’s why we aggressively recruit physicians and staff with exceptional skills and standards. It means pursuing research and clinical trials, so the latest methods will be available to our patients first. Maintaining superior results also requires new facilities, which we build, as need dictates.
Delivering the Highest Quality Outcomes
Sentara has a commitment to grow as one of the nation’s leading healthcare organizations by creating innovative systems of care that help people achieve and maintain their best possible state of health. We will focus, plan and act on our commitments to our community mission, to our customers and to the highest quality standards of healthcare to achieve our vision for the future.
Building for the Future
The next decade will be characterized by inspiring growth and change – all dedicated to improving the health of our community and our patients. Read more about Upcoming Facilities online.
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Service
Our commitment is to create and maintain the best possible state of health for you. Your trust in us is taken very seriously. We promise to meet the high standards you expect from Sentara.
Patient Safety
Our commitment is to keep you from harm. Patient Safety is a top priority for all Sentara staff. We encourage you to ask questions and to be involved in you safe care.
We Give You Our Word
If at any time you feel we are not meeting your expectations, please let any of our staff members know. Our staff will assist you with resolving the problem. If you have any additional comments, compliments or concerns, please call the Sentara Promise Hotline at (757) 388-4357.
Sentara’s Values
People
Quality
Patient Safety
Service
Integrity
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