Sentara invests $294 million in Virginia and North Carolina communities in 2023

In 2023, Sentara Health invested $294 million to support communities in Virginia and Northeast North Carolina. This includes $13 million in health education and prevention programs, $47 million in community giving, $70 million in teaching and training opportunities for healthcare professionals, and $164 million in uncompensated patient care.

These community building investments reinforce Sentara’s not-for-profit commitment to creating healthier, more prosperous communities through caring for the uninsured and underinsured, making strategic investments and donations, and forging collaborative partnerships with community organizations.

Sentara has recently been recognized in Virginia Business’s 2024 Most Generous Virginians list, and four Sentara colleagues and teams were awarded by Inside Business for their lasting community contributions in the 2024 Health Care Heroes awards.

Sentara believes everyone deserves access to quality health care and is committed to providing emergency services and other medically necessary services to all their patients, regardless of their ability to pay. In 2023, Sentara provided $164 million in uncompensated care for their patients.

But Sentara realizes that direct medical treatment is only part of the equation. To advance health equity and address the social drivers of health, Sentara must expand its reach beyond the walls of its hospitals and medical centers to assist people where they live, work, play, worship, and learn. Social drivers of health are the non-medical factors that impact health outcomes and include various environmental factors, such as birthplace and location of residence, education, employment, recreation, and religion. These factors account for nearly 80% of health outcomes, while direct health care only accounts for 20%.

“Within our communities, we partner with dedicated allies to drive greater access to the health and community resources we all need to thrive,” said Dennis Matheis, Sentara president and CEO. “Our investments reflect Sentara’s enduring mission to improve health every day.”

Sentara’s 2023 Community Engagement and Impact Report highlights the many ways in which Sentara is collaborating with community partners and faith-based leaders to care for those who need it most. These initiatives aim to improve the health and well-being of community members beyond traditional healthcare services, with a focus on behavioral health services, affordable housing, skilled job training, and promoting access to healthy and nutritious food.

This funding addresses the community needs identified through Sentara’s Community Health Needs Assessments (CHNA), listening sessions with community and faith-based leaders, and prevailing research around social drivers of health.

“Our investments in the community involve more than just financial support. At the heart of our work, are the connections we make,” said Sherry Norquist, executive director of community engagement and impact at Sentara. “Our conversations with community leaders and collaborations with people and organizations that can address the unique needs of the community we serve is the heart of our mission.”

Sentara Community Engagement and Impact 2023 Highlights

Behavioral Health Innovation Fund

Recognizing a growing demand for behavioral health services, Sentara has created the Behavioral Health Innovation Fund, a nearly $3 million initiative fostering collaboration between healthcare providers, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies. This fund focuses on enhancing the response system for behavioral health needs, improving access to care, fostering scalable innovations, and strengthening partnerships with safety net providers.

Sentara’s long-standing partnership with The Women’s Initiative works to destigmatize mental health treatment and pave greater inroads into marginalized populations, particularly within the region’s Hispanic and Latino communities in the Charlottesville, Va., area.

Increasing access to care

To improve access to care, Sentara invests in organizations that can provide the healthcare services and support necessary for individuals to live healthy and prosperous lives.

Sentara partnered with NOVA ScriptsCentral in Northern Virginia and Peoples Pharmacy Store in Norfolk, Va., to address the financial barriers many individuals face in accessing essential medications. The collaborations will facilitate access to prescription drugs for patients in need, particularly for those not covered by insurance.

Sentara Community Care

Since its inception in August 2022, Sentara Community Care has addressed healthcare disparities and enhanced access to essential services for underserved communities across Virginia. Sentara has served over 4,000 Virginians through community care centers, mobile care vehicles, and community health events. In 2023, Sentara established a new mobile care vehicle in Petersburg and introduced a school-based healthcare center in partnership with Harrisonburg Public Schools.

Fighting food insecurity

Sentara’s $600,000 investment with the Federation of Virginia Food Banks increased the capacity of all seven food banks in the Commonwealth to provide healthier and more culturally relevant foods.

Sentara’s collaboration with the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore helped create the Community Feed at Berkley, a new food hub in an underserved neighborhood in Norfolk, Va., that provides free groceries to residents and families while giving them a new way to access quality healthcare services. Sentara continues to support programs and organizations that help remove barriers to access and support neighbors on their path to health and economic sufficiency. 

Affordable housing

Sentara’s founding investment helped establish Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Hampton Roads with the goal of enhancing access to affordable housing, community support, and economic empowerment for underrepresented communities.

This strive to create housing opportunities with wholistic wrap-around services, came into fruition with the establishment of the Market Heights neighborhood in Norfolk, Va. Market Heights reflects a commitment not only to affordability but also accessibility with 17 specially designed apartments compliant with accessibility standards and 80 units crafted under the Universal Design principle.

Sentara Scholars is an investment in the next generation of healthcare workers

In response to medical staff shortages impacting our U.S. healthcare system, Sentara launched Sentara Scholars, the new pipeline development program designed to support students pursuing careers in healthcare and healthcare-related fields.

In 2023, the more than $3 million initiative helped more than 7,000 students across Virginia and North Carolina overcome financial barriers — whether through tuition assistance or by providing emergency funds to cover unexpected expenses like vehicle repairs or textbook costs. Sentara partnered with colleges and universities, including the College of the Albemarle in Elizabeth City, N.C., George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., to help remove financial barriers that have too often prevented students from underserved communities from pursuing careers in healthcare.

ODU and EVMS merger creates new opportunities in Virginia

Old Dominion University (ODU) and Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) celebrated their official integration. Effective July 1, 2024, the combined institution will be the largest and most complex academic health sciences center in Virginia with 56 academic programs.

Sentara has been a cornerstone of the ODU-EVMS integration with a long-term commitment to provide $350 million in funding over the next decade. Recognizing that many doctors end up practicing medicine where they complete their training, Sentara has also committed to doubling its medical residency slots in Virginia.

“This integration is critical to improving health care services for a region that has long struggled to reduce disparities in health outcomes and find its economic footing,” Matheis said.

Sentara enhances access of care in Florida

In 2023, Sentara expanded into Florida and established a $2 million “Sentara Innovation Fund”. The funding supported Federally Qualified Health Centers in Florida, creating partnerships that will improve access to medical care to the people of Florida.