Generated by All in One SEO v4.9.10, this is an llms.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. # Sentara History Sentara through history ## Sitemaps - [XML Sitemap](https://sentarahistory.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website. ## Posts - [Providing Care and Education in Hampton - Simple Version](https://sentarahistory.com/providing-care-and-education-in-hampton-simple-version/) - 1891 Alice Mabel Bacon moved to Hampton, Virginia, in the late 1880s. Born in New England to a prominent abolitionist family, Bacon began teaching at Hampton Institute, a college for freedmen. When she learned that no formal nursing school existed for Black Americans, Bacon resolved to create one. She opened a hospital and nursing school - [Providing Care and Education in Hampton](https://sentarahistory.com/providing-care-and-education-in-hampton/) - lice Mabel Bacon moved to Hampton, Virginia, in the late 1880s. Born in New England to a prominent abolitionist family, Bacon began teaching at Hampton Institute, a college for freedmen. When she learned that no formal nursing school existed for Black Americans, Bacon resolved to create one. She opened a hospital and nursing school in ## Pages - [Home](https://sentarahistory.com/) - [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”RGBA(0,0,0,0)” custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”40px||20px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ admin_label=”row” module_class=”reverse” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#f4f4f5″ background_enable_image=”off” background_size=”contain” background_position=”top_right” min_height=”200px” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” border_radii=”on|16px|16px|16px|16px” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ module_class=”inline-buttons” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”60px|||60px|false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”40px|20px||20px|false|false” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Red Hat Display||||||||” text_line_height=”1.5em” header_font=”Red Hat Display|500|||||||” header_font_size=”40px” header_line_height=”1.2em” header_2_font=”Red Hat Display|500|||||||” header_2_font_size=”40px” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”] 137 Years of Serving Our Communities - [Gallery](https://sentarahistory.com/gallery/) - [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”RGBA(0,0,0,0)” custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”40px||20px||false|false” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ admin_label=”row” module_class=”reverse” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ background_color=”#e7e4e5″ background_enable_image=”off” background_size=”contain” background_position=”top_right” min_height=”200px” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” border_radii=”on|16px|16px|16px|16px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ module_class=”inline-buttons” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”60px|||60px|false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”60px|20px||20px|false|false” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Red Hat Display||||||||” text_line_height=”1.5em” header_font=”Red Hat Display|500|||||||” header_font_size=”40px” header_line_height=”1.2em” header_2_font=”Red Hat Display|500|||||||” header_2_font_size=”40px” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” - [Eras](https://sentarahistory.com/eras/) - [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”40px||20px||false|false” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ admin_label=”row” module_class=”reverse” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#f4f4f5″ background_enable_image=”off” background_size=”contain” background_position=”top_right” min_height=”200px” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” border_radii=”on|16px|16px|16px|16px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ module_class=”inline-buttons” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”60px|||60px|false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”40px|20px||20px|false|false” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Red Hat Display||||||||” text_line_height=”1.5em” header_font=”Red Hat Display|500|||||||” header_font_size=”40px” header_line_height=”1.2em” header_2_font=”Red Hat Display|500|||||||” header_2_font_size=”40px” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” - [Milestones](https://sentarahistory.com/milestones/) - [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”RGBA(0,0,0,0)” custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”40px||20px||false|false” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ admin_label=”row” module_class=”reverse” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#f4f4f5″ background_enable_image=”off” background_size=”contain” background_position=”top_right” min_height=”200px” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” border_radii=”on|16px|16px|16px|16px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ module_class=”inline-buttons” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”60px|||60px|false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”60px|20px||20px|false|false” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Red Hat Display||||||||” text_line_height=”1.5em” header_font=”Red Hat Display|500|||||||” header_font_size=”40px” header_line_height=”1.2em” header_2_font=”Red Hat Display|500|||||||” header_2_font_size=”40px” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” - [Awards and Recognition](https://sentarahistory.com/awards-and-recognition/) - [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”40px||20px||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ admin_label=”row” module_class=”reverse” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ background_color=”#f4f4f5″ background_enable_image=”off” background_size=”contain” background_position=”top_right” min_height=”200px” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” border_radii=”on|16px|16px|16px|16px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ module_class=”inline-buttons” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”60px|||60px|false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”40px|20px||20px|false|false” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Red Hat Display||||||||” text_line_height=”1.5em” header_font=”Red Hat Display|500|||||||” header_font_size=”40px” header_line_height=”1.2em” header_2_font=”Red Hat Display|500|||||||” header_2_font_size=”40px” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]Awards and Recognition Sentara has built a national - [Growth](https://sentarahistory.com/growth/) - [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”40px||20px||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ admin_label=”row” module_class=”reverse” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ background_color=”#f4f4f5″ background_enable_image=”off” background_size=”contain” background_position=”top_right” min_height=”200px” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” border_radii=”on|16px|16px|16px|16px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ module_class=”inline-buttons” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”60px|||60px|false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”40px|20px||20px|false|false” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Red Hat Display||||||||” text_line_height=”1.5em” header_font=”Red Hat Display|500|||||||” header_font_size=”40px” header_line_height=”1.2em” header_2_font=”Red Hat Display|500|||||||” header_2_font_size=”40px” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]Growth What would become Sentara Healthcare - [Quality, Safety and Innovation](https://sentarahistory.com/quality-safety-and-innovation/) - [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”40px||20px||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ admin_label=”row” module_class=”reverse” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ background_color=”#f4f4f5″ background_enable_image=”off” background_size=”contain” background_position=”top_right” min_height=”200px” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” border_radii=”on|16px|16px|16px|16px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ module_class=”inline-buttons” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”60px|||60px|false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”40px|20px||20px|false|false” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Red Hat Display||||||||” text_line_height=”1.5em” header_font=”Red Hat Display|500|||||||” header_font_size=”40px” header_line_height=”1.2em” header_2_font=”Red Hat Display|500|||||||” header_2_font_size=”40px” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]Quality, Safety and Innovation Sentara emphasizes - [Community Impact](https://sentarahistory.com/community-impact/) - [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”40px||20px||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ admin_label=”row” module_class=”reverse” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ background_color=”#f4f4f5″ background_enable_image=”off” background_size=”contain” background_position=”top_right” min_height=”200px” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ border_radii=”on|16px|16px|16px|16px” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ module_class=”inline-buttons” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”60px|||60px|false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”40px|20px||20px|false|false” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Red Hat Display||||||||” text_line_height=”1.5em” header_font=”Red Hat Display|500|||||||” header_font_size=”40px” header_line_height=”1.2em” header_2_font=”Red Hat Display|500|||||||” header_2_font_size=”40px” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]Community Impact Sentara has always been - [Gallery - Static](https://sentarahistory.com/gallery-static/) - [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”RGBA(0,0,0,0)” custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”40px||20px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ admin_label=”row” module_class=”reverse” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#f4f4f5″ background_enable_image=”off” background_size=”contain” background_position=”top_right” min_height=”200px” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” border_radii=”on|16px|16px|16px|16px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ module_class=”inline-buttons” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”60px|||60px|false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”60px|20px||20px|false|false” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Red Hat Display||||||||” header_font=”Red Hat Display|500|||||||” header_font_size=”40px” header_line_height=”1.2em” header_2_font=”Red Hat Display|500|||||||” header_2_font_size=”40px” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]Our Continued Focus: Improving Healthcare Lorem ipsum dolor sit - [Eras - Static](https://sentarahistory.com/eras-static/) - [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”40px||20px||false|false” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ admin_label=”row” module_class=”reverse” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#f4f4f5″ background_enable_image=”off” background_size=”contain” background_position=”top_right” min_height=”200px” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” border_radii=”on|16px|16px|16px|16px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ module_class=”inline-buttons” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”60px|||60px|false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”40px|20px||20px|false|false” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Red Hat Display||||||||” header_font=”Red Hat Display|500|||||||” header_font_size=”40px” header_line_height=”1.2em” header_2_font=”Red Hat Display|500|||||||” header_2_font_size=”40px” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]Our Continued Focus: Improving Healthcare Lorem ipsum dolor sit - [Sample Page](https://sentarahistory.com/sample-page/) - This is an example page. It's different from a blog post because it will stay in one place and will show up in your site navigation (in most themes). Most people start with an About page that introduces them to potential site visitors. It might say something like this: Hi there! I'm a bike messenger ## Post Types - [Sentara History](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara-history/) ## Taxonomies - [Time Period](https://sentarahistory.com/dmach_tax/time-period/) ## Sentara History - [eICU marks 25 years](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/eicu-marks-25-years/) - In 2000, Sentara was the first hospital system in the U.S. to launch a fully functional remote monitoring system for ICU beds. The system, dubbed eICU®, was designed to serve as extra eyes and ears for doctors and nurses covering patient floors. Today, the eICU team of intensivist physicians and ICU nurses monitors 132 beds - [Wellness services in Southern Virginia](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/wellness-services-in-southern-virginia/) - A new Sentara Mobile Care vehicle is on the road in Southern Virginia, expanding access to high-quality medical care and social care services, particularly for Sentara Health Plans Medicaid members and uninsured community members across the region. As one of six mobile care vehicles operating across the Sentara Health network, this new addition now serves - [Sentara Community Care reaches Henrico County](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-community-care-reaches-henrico-county/) - Sentara Community Care has opened a new center in Henrico County, Virginia, the program’s first brick-and-mortar location in Richmond. Now serving five regions across the Commonwealth of Virginia, Sentara Community Care continues expanding access to care and improving health and wellness in the communities that need it most. Read more on Sentara.com - [Virtual nursing enhances patient care delivery](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/virtual-nursing-enhances-patient-care-delivery/) - As the healthcare industry faces ongoing workforce challenges, Sentara has implemented a virtual nursing system to reduce administrative workload and assist with patient admissions, discharges and patient education. The program was piloted at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital and is now operational at all twelve Sentara hospitals. Read more on Sentara.com - [2024 Health Quality Innovator](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/2024-health-quality-innovator/) - Health Quality Innovators presented Sentara with its 2024 Health Quality Innovator of the Year award. This prestigious honor, awarded annually, recognizes and celebrates organizations that are using successful, evidence-based approaches to improve healthcare quality and outcomes. Sentara was selected as the winner in the Population Health category for its efforts to improve health equity and - [Hospitals earn “A” grade for patient safety](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/hospitals-earn-a-grade-for-patient-safety/) - Nine Sentara hospitals have received “A” grades for patient safety from The Leapfrog Group, a national non-profit focused on patient safety, outcomes and value in health care. About thirty-two percent of all hospitals earned an “A” grade for fall 2025. Sentara Leigh and Sentara CarePlex are two of just eleven U.S. hospitals with twenty-eight consecutive “A”s from - [An “A” for social responsibility](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/an-a-for-social-responsibility/) - To calculate social responsibility, the Lown Institute Hospitals Index evaluates more than fifty metrics related to health equity, patient outcomes, and value of care. Of roughly 3,500 hospitals nationwide, only thirty-two percent received an “A” for social responsibility. Ten Sentara hospitals received the grade, with Sentara RMH Medical Center, Sentara CarePlex Hospital, and Sentara Martha - [Hyperbaric oxygen therapy](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy/) - Sentara Princess Anne Hospital is the ninth Sentara location to offer hyperbaric oxygen therapy for wound healing. Two new hyperbaric oxygen therapy chambers serve patients in the hospital’s wound healing center, adding the first access in Virginia Beach to high-pressure oxygen therapy. Read more on Sentara.com - [Study evaluates multi-cancer detection tests](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/study-evaluates-multi-cancer-detection-tests/) - Sentara is recruiting participants in Hampton Roads and Blue Ridge regions for the Vanguard Study, a national study of a new type of blood test that screens for several types of cancer. Researchers will evaluate whether these Multi-Cancer Detection (MCD) tests will help people ages 45 to 75 find cancer earlier, when it may be - [Sentara hospitals earn top spots in 2025 ranking](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-hospitals-earn-top-spots-in-2025-ranking/) - Sentara Norfolk General Hospital is ranked the #1 Best Hospital in Hampton Roads, Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital is ranked #2, and Sentara Princess Anne Hospital is tied for #3 in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals rankings. Also, Sentara Leigh Hospital tied for the #5 spot in Hampton Roads. Read more - [Life-saving stroke care](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/life-saving-stroke-care/) - All twelve Sentara hospitals have been recognized with 2025 awards from the American Heart Association (AHA), for providing the highest quality stroke care to communities in Virginia and northeast North Carolina. Eleven received Gold Plus recognition, which means consistent adherence to the latest treatment protocols with positive patient outcomes for two years. One received a - [Sentara Molecular Lab chosen for cancer treatment trials](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-molecular-lab-chosen-for-cancer-treatment-trials/) - The National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, has designated the Sentara Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital as a participant in the nationwide ComboMATCH cancer trial. This allows the lab to match Sentara patients to the trial, providing potential access to new anti-cancer drug combinations. Read more on - [2025 Best-In-State Employer](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/2025-best-in-state-employer/) - Sentara was recognized by Forbes as one of Virginia’s Best-In-State Employers. The largest health system in the state ranked thirty-six out of ninety Virginia companies, scoring high based on employee evaluations of wages, work culture, professional advancement and attention and response to serious issues like sexual harassment. Read more on Sentara.com - [New neurology residency program](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/new-neurology-residency-program/) - Amidst a nationwide shortage of physicians and neurologists, Sentara partnered with Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University to launch a new neurology residency program. As the fourth such program in Virginia and the first in Hampton Roads, the four-year program will train a new generation of specialists in holistic care - [Magnet accolades](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/magnet-accolades/) - After an intensive two-year application process, Sentara Albemarle Medical Center was recognized as a Magnet with Distinction by the American Nurses Credentialing Center for its commitment to nursing excellence and quality patient outcomes. Sentara Albemarle Medical Center becomes the twelfth hospital in North Carolina and the eleventh in the Sentara network to receive Magnet status, - [Advanced practice providers onboarding program](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/advanced-practice-providers-onboarding-program/) - In July 2024, Sentara launched a one-year onboarding program to provide mentorship and on-the-job training to incoming advanced practice providers, like nurse practitioners, physician assistants and certified nurse midwives. The program bridges the gap between medical school and practice for staff without residency opportunities. Read more on Sentara.com - [Sentara, ODU cardiovascular disease fellowship](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-odu-cardiovascular-disease-fellowship/) - In partnership with Old Dominion University, Sentara launched a new three-year cardiovascular disease fellowship. The program offers fellows the chance to train at top-tier facilities like Sentara Heart Hospital, immerse in cutting-edge technologies, and serve communities in need of cardiovascular specialists with advanced care. Read more on Sentara.com - [New internal medicine residency program accredited](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/new-internal-medicine-residency-program-accredited/) - Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center’s new internal medicine residency program was approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. The program offers hands-on clinical experience that emphasizes evidence-based care, physician-patient relationships and community service. It is part of a broader Sentara initiative to double its residency offerings. Read more on Sentara.com - [First-of-its-kind defibrillator implanted](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/first-of-its-kind-defibrillator-implanted/) - Cardiothoracic surgeons at Sentara Heart Hospital performed the first ever Extravascular Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (EV-ICD) surgery. The life-saving device operates without placing traditional leads in the heart and veins. The 90-minute cutting-edge surgery elevates patient care, expands treatment options and lowers the long-term risk of complications for patients with cardiomyopathy. Read more on Sentara.com - [New Sentara hospital in North Carolina](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/new-sentara-hospital-in-north-carolina/) - On August 8, the first baby was born in the new $278 million Sentara Albemarle Medical Center. Home to the region's only labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum unit, the new state-of-the-art, ninety-bed hospital replaces the former hospital building, built in 1960, and continues with an over 100-year-old legacy of medical care in Elizabeth City. Read - [Sentara expands mobile mammography van fleet](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-expands-mobile-mammography-van-fleet/) - Sentara has added two new 3D mammography vans to its fleet. Provided through generous donations, these vans now travel between Williamsburg, Virginia and northeast North Carolina, providing an additional 4,000 mammograms yearly to Hampton Roads. The vans join three other Sentara 3D mobile mammography vans in Hampton Roads, Northern Virginia and Harrisonburg. Read more on - [Support for mobile mental health services](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/support-for-mobile-mental-health-services/) - Sentara continues to support the CARES (Compassionate Assistance Response) team that launched in May 2025 with Hampton Fire and Rescue and the Hampton-Newport News Community Services Board. The team responds to behavioral and mental health crises in the community, expanding emergency care without a police presence. Since launching, the team has increased operations and reduced - [Norfolk General Performs First Open Heart Surgery](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/norfolk-general-hospital-becomes-the-site-of-the-first-open-heart-surgery-in-the-hampton-roads-region/) - Norfolk General Hospital becomes the site of the first open heart surgery in the Hampton Roads region. - [New Facilities for Virginia Beach](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/new-facilities-for-virginia-beach/) - Recognizing their community’s need for a larger hospital, the Virginia Beach City Council donated land for an expanded hospital on 25th Street and Arctic Avenue in 1960. After raising almost $1 million, the new General Hospital of Virginia Beach opened in 1961, welcoming over 275 patients in its first month alone. Even this new hospital, however, was not large enough to support the growing community's needs. The opportunity to create a new facility arose when the family of local surgeon Dr. William Old donated land for a new hospital. To raise money for construction, the hospital’s auxiliary held benefit concerts, sold paintings, and sponsored food tents. The new hospital on First Colonial Road was dedicated in 1965. - [The New Williamsburg Community Hospital Opens](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/the-new-williamsburg-community-hospital-opens/) - The new Williamsburg Community Hospital opens, replacing the antiquated Bell Hospital. - [NAMCA is Created](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/namca-is-created/) - By 1963, the Norfolk region, with more than 1 million residents, stood as the largest population center east of the Mississippi River without a medical school. Faced with a rapidly growing population, the Virginia General Assembly approved the creation of the Norfolk Area Medical Center Authority (NAMCA) in 1964 to accommodate Norfolk’s increasing medical needs. NAMCA later established the first four-year medical school in the region, adjacent to Norfolk General Hospital, which became the teaching hospital for the medical school. Norfolk General continued to expand to meet community needs with a new wing that housed laboratories, 160 new hospital rooms and a psychiatric facility. - [Sentara Hospitals Recognized for Quality of Care](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-hospitals-recognized-for-quality-of-care-2/) - Sentara hospitals continued to gain national recognition for their excellence in 2022. Eight hospitals were recognized for their high-performing maternity care by U.S. News & World Report. Eleven hospitals received an American College of Cardiology NCDR Chest Pain—MI Registry Performance Achievement Award, with seven hospitals earning the Platinum designation for their top performance in treating heart patients. Nine hospitals were recognized for excellence in stroke care by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association’s “Get With the Guidelines” program. - [One Sentara](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/one-sentara/) - Sentara’s team served over 1.475 million patients and introduced its concept of One Sentara, which marries its healthcare services and health plans, including the Optima Health and Virginia Premier brands. - [Investing in Our Communities](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/investing-in-our-communities/) - In 2024, Sentara invested $329 million in the communities we serve including: $174 million in uncompensated care; $19 million in health and prevention programs; $96 million in teaching and training healthcare professionals and $40 million in community giving. We continue to invest and look for new ways to give back and support those we serve. - [At-Home Screenings for Diabetic Eye Diseases](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/at-home-screenings-for-diabetic-eye-diseases/) - Over 13% of adults in Virginia are diagnosed with diabetes and are at risk for diabetic blindness. To help with early detection, Sentara Health Plans partnered with Retina Labs to provide at-home screenings for more than 3,200 members. The increased access resulted in over 400 referrals to ophthalmologists when eye diseases were detected. It also serves as a template for similar at-home screenings for A1C, colorectal cancer, kidney health and bone density. - [Supporting Black Maternal Health](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/supporting-black-maternal-health/) - Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital was one of just 26 hospitals nationwide recognized for excellence in Black maternal care by U.S. News & World Report. Its high-quality care for Black patients signals its commitment to health equity and access to all underserved and at-risk mothers in the community. - [Achieving Highest Epilepsy Accreditation](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/achieving-highest-epilepsy-accreditation/) - The Sentara Epilepsy Center at Norfolk General Hospital was promoted to a Level 4 Epilepsy Center in March, making it the highest designated hospital in the area for complex epilepsy care. - [Nursing Tool Recognized as a Game-Changer](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/nursing-tool-recognized-as-a-game-changer/) - After noticing that nursing workloads are often unbalanced, four Sentara nurses developed a solution: the Patient Acuity Nursing Tool (PANT). The homegrown algorithm analyzes over 280 factors that affect a nurse’s workload to distribute patient assignments evenly. After almost ten years in development, testing, and use within all Sentara hospitals, PANT is now being successfully distributed to external healthcare providers to reduce nurse burnout and improve patient care. - [On the Cutting Edge of Cardiology](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/on-the-cutting-edge-of-cardiology/) - Cardiologists at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital became one of 30 sites in the country to perform Trilogy transcatheter heart valve (THV) surgery. The procedure provides high-risk heart failure patients with life-saving care when they are ineligible for more traditional surgery options. As of February 2024, the surgery has been performed less than 360 times in the United States. - [First Sensory Inclusive Facility in Virginia](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/first-sensory-inclusive-facility-in-virginia/) - Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center (SWRMC) became the first medical facility in Virginia to be accredited as sensory-inclusive. The hospital created two sensory rooms as well as mobile sensory stations to provide more accessible and calm environments to patients with sensory needs, including those with autism, PTSD, dementia, and anxiety. The initiatives help more patients feel welcome and accepted. - [Food & Health Go Hand in Hand](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/food-health-go-hand-in-hand/) - Sentara Home Care and the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank joined forces to deliver much-needed food boxes to vulnerable senior citizens in Hampton, Newport News, and Williamsburg. The program uses Sentara’s already established home care network to provide non-perishables as well as high quality healthcare to those in need. In its first five months, Sentara physicians delivered 3,750 pounds of food. - [Focus on Behavioral Health](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/focus-on-behavioral-health/) - Sentara opened the first clinic dedicated to behavioral healthcare on the Virginia Peninsula in Hampton Roads. The clinic provides the region with greater access to healthcare focused on mental health and substance abuse disorders as advocated by Sentara’s physicians and providers. The opening follows the success of similar clinics in Virginia Beach, Halifax and Harrisonburg. - [Awarded Best-in-State](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/awarded-best-in-state/) - Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital, Sentara Leigh Hospital, Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, Sentara Princess Anne Hospital, and Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center were all among the top 13 Best-in-State Hospitals by Newsweek. Their dedication to clinical care and patient safety and satisfaction were key factors in receiving this ranking. - [Excellence in Surgery](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/excellence-in-surgery/) - Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center (SNVMC) was recognized as a Center of Excellence in Minimally Invasive Gynecology and Robotic Surgery. SNVMC is the first Sentara hospital to receive this accreditation, surpassing both national and international standards. Its use of a precision robotic surgical system results in smaller incisions, less complications, and quicker recovery times. - [Addressing Gaps in Sickle Cell Care](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/addressing-gaps-in-sickle-cell-care/) - Noticing a lack of local sickle cell care options, Sentara and Old Dominion University opened a clinic in Norfolk for their new Sentara-EVMS Comprehensive Sickle Cell Program. The clinic serves more than 800 local community members who previously had to drive hours away in pain to receive non-pediatric care. - [New Protocols Lower Sepsis Rates](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/new-protocols-lower-sepsis-rates/) - New care guidelines lowered the patient mortality rate for sepsis at Sentara hospitals by almost 37% between 2021 and 2024. Sepsis can affect everyone and moves fast, making early detection and treatment essential to circumventing the medical emergency. - [Chest Pain Accreditation](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/chest-pain-accreditation/) - Eight of Sentara’s 12 hospitals were accredited by the American College of Cardiology for excellence and expertise in chest pain care. Sentara physicians’ commitment to using streamlined systems to evaluate potential heart attack symptoms allows them to diagnose and treat around 1,400 heart attacks a year. - [Participation Leads to FDA Approval of Early Alzheimer’s Drug](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/participation-leads-to-fda-approval-of-early-alzheimers-drug/) - Sentara neurologists’ and patients’ participation in a clinical drug trial helped bring the drug to market under FDA approval. The trial, which began in 2020 and involved 274 hospitals worldwide demonstrated donanemab’s effectiveness in slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s. Its approval represents a significant step toward treatment of the disease, and not just its symptoms. - [Excellence in Stroke Care](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/excellence-in-stroke-care/) - The American Heart Association and American Stroke Association recognized 11 of Sentara’s 12 hospitals for excellence in stroke care. The hospitals commitment to stroke guidelines have resulted in life-saving treatments and therapies to treat and prevent strokes in patients quickly and effectively. - [CHAMPS](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/champs/) - Sentara Obici Hospital becomes one of 101 hospitals (and the first in Virginia and North Carolina) to participate in the federal Communities and Hospitals Advancing Maternity Practices (CHAMPS) program, which aims to improve breastfeeding rates. It offers new mothers additional lactation support, including coaching within one hour of birth and weekly support groups. - [Velocity Joins Sentara](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/velocity-joins-sentara/) - Sentara expands and improves its access to the community by becoming sole owner of Velocity Urgent Care. Velocity Urgent Care employs 200 employees at 17 urgent care locations. - [Research Helps Drive Medical Advances](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/research-helps-drive-medical-advances/) - Sentara Health becomes a founding member of the Virginia Coordinated Clinical Research Network (VCCRN). Through working with the VCCRN, Sentara will address health disparities, improve outcomes, and support Virginia’s economy. Sentara is committed to developing next generation treatments for disease and infirmity as well as bringing cutting edge therapies to local communities. - [Bringing Care to the Patient](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/bringing-care-to-the-patient/) - Sentara Community Care brings care to the community with three mobile care vehicles. It also introduced a groundbreaking model of care in partnership with Harrisonburg City Public Schools. This school-based healthcare center—Sentara’s first—provides vital healthcare services and will work to build a culture of health among students. - [daVinci Robotics at Sentara](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/davinci-robotics-at-sentara/) - Nine of Sentara’s hospitals in the region include the daVinci robotic surgical system from Intuitive Surgical. This system specializes in limiting recovery time after traditionally invasive surgeries like gynecologic procedures and appendectomies. The state-of-the-art technology is an investment of $2.5 million per unit. - [Top Heart Health Hospitals](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/top-heart-health-hospitals/) - Eleven of Sentara’s hospitals received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain – MI Registry Performance Achievement Award and the Get with the Guidelines (GWTG) Mission Lifeline Award for 2023. The awarded hospitals include: Sentara Albemarle Medical Center, Sentara CarePlex Hospital, Sentara Leigh Hospital, Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital, Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center, Sentara Obici Hospital, Sentara RMH Medical Center, Sentara Princess Anne Hospital, Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital, and Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center. - [New name, new logo!](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/new-name-new-logo/) - Out with the old in with the new, Sentara Healthcare, has rebranded to Sentara Health, and with it comes a new logo. Unifying Optima and Virginia Premier to bring the community more comprehensive, affordable, and accessible healthcare. - [Investing in Mental Health](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/investing-in-mental-health/) - In response to an urgent demand for behavioral health services Sentara established the Sentara Behavioral Health Innovation Fund with nearly $3 million dollars. This investment will help Sentara and other stakeholders develop innovative care delivery models that address stigma and other barriers to care. - [The Future of Healthcare](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/the-future-of-healthcare/) - By 2026 the America heath care system faces a potential shortfall of 3.2 million professionals. In 2023, as part of overcoming this looming challenge, the Sentara Scholars program provided more than 7,000 students with tuition assistance or emergency funds. As a result, Virginia and North Carolina will have more of the professionals they need to care for and support our communities. - [Safe and Secure](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/safe-and-secure/) - Sentara RMH Medical Center and Strength in Peers, a community partner in the Shenandoah Valley, created the “Safe & Secure Program,” which ensures that patients in unstable living conditions will have a dedicated space for healing. As of March 2023, the program helped 50 community members and saved just under $350,000 in lowered readmission rates. - [Supporting Women through Childbirth](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/supporting-women-through-childbirth/) - Sentara support helped provide the Birth Sisters of Charlottesville with a permanent location in 2023. This space offers services, doula training, workshops, support groups and community events. Additionally, Sentara partnered with Postpartum Support Virginia and The Up Center to ensure women have access to emotional support resources they might need after welcoming a child into the world. - [Sentara Supports Holistic Health](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-supports-holistic-health/) - Sentara provided funding to the Peninsula Pastoral Counseling Center (PPCC), an organization that provides access to counseling and training to uninsured or underinsured. With Sentara’s funding, PPCC expanded its programs to provide more instruction to students pursuing careers as behavioral health providers and increase support through outlets such as the Virginia Health Care Foundation, PRS Inc., and The Confess Project of the Southeast, which all aim to increase access to behavioral health programs to foster wellness in the community. - [Sentara Supports Lifelong Literacy](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-supports-lifelong-literacy/) - Sentara provided funding for Literacy for Life, one of its long-standing partners that served 700 learners throughout the year. Literacy for Life has programs like Health Education and Literacy (HEAL), On the Money, and EmployED, all aimed at offering instruction and support services to help participants navigate their health, financial, and career journeys. The program also provides opportunities for more than 200 community volunteers to work directly with learners. - [Sentara Acquires AvMed, Inc.](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-acquires-avmed-inc/) - Sentara's health insurance division continued to expand in 2023 with the acquisition of AvMed, Inc., a not-for-profit health plan in Florida serving over 200,000 members. AvMed provides commercial group, individual, and Medicare Advantage coverage to its members, with access to a network of over 35,000 physicians. The affiliation brings the total Sentara health plan membership to nearly 1.2 million, furthering Sentara's mission to deliver the highest quality healthcare to an ever-expanding community. - [Sentara Commits to Hiring Veterans](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-joins-virginia-values-veterans/) - Sentara joins Virginia Values Veterans and commits to hiring at least 100 veterans in 2014, after hiring approximately 160 in 2013. In 2023, Forbes ranked Sentara as 90th out of 200 nationwide employers as one of “The Best Employers for Veterans." - [Virginia’s First Ambulatory Surgical Center](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/virginias-first-ambulatory-surgical-center/) - In the 1970s, a group of Virginia doctors envisioned creating a center for outpatient surgery, which would help patients avoid the costs associated with overnight hospital stays. In 1976, their vision was realized when Virginia’s first free-standing ambulatory surgical center opened adjacent to Leigh Memorial Hospital’s new location. The center served over 1,000 patients in its first year, providing 168 different surgical procedures. The success of the Ambulatory Surgical Center convinced other nearby hospitals to open similar facilities. - [Sentara Provides Care Through Ongoing Pandemic](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-provides-care-through-ongoing-pandemic/) - As the COVID-19 pandemic continued into 2021, Sentara continued its efforts to help its communities navigate the public health emergency safely. In 2021, Sentara cared for nearly 20,000 COVID patients, with a mortality rate 20 percent lower than the national average. Sentara hosted more than 550 vaccine clinics with 30,000 employee and volunteer hours invested. By year’s end, Sentara had administered over 200,000 vaccines, with 43 percent of community vaccines being administered to minorities. As with other Virginia health systems, Sentara required employees to get vaccinated. In May, Sentara began using Sentara To Home—an existing pharmacy program—to allow some COVID patients to recover at home, rather than at the hospital. During the year, Sentara participated in over 240 clinical trials, as well as state-wide research on COVID-19 antibodies. - [Sentara Establishes new roles for Chief Diversity Officer and Director of Health Equity](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/new-chief-diversity-officer-and-director-of-health-equity/) - Sentara creates two new positions—chief diversity officer and director of health equity—to further reflect its commitment to both. - [CEO David Bernd Recognized for Achievements](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/ceo-david-bernd-recognized-for-achievements/) - David Bernd became CEO of Sentara in 1995, serving in the position for over 20 years. Bernd began his career with Sentara in 1972 as an administrative resident at Norfolk General Hospital. During his tenure as CEO, Sentara grew into the largest integrated healthcare system in Virginia based on revenue—with 12 hospitals, four medical groups, and a health plan with over 450,000 subscribers. As CEO, Bernd led Sentara’s efforts to implement technological innovations and cement the company’s reputation for patient safety and quality of care. In 2010, Bernd was recognized by Modern Healthcare magazine with the CEO IT Achievement Award. Bernd was also named one of Virginia's 50 Most Influential leaders by Virginia Business magazine every year from 2013, when the list started, to 2016, when he retired. - [System-Wide Innovations](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/system-wide-innovations/) - In 2013, Sentara participated in the world’s largest clinical trial evaluating the effectiveness of antimicrobial copper-based materials in healthcare environments. Partnering with Cupron Inc., EOS Surfaces, and Encompass Group, Sentara researchers determined that copper-infused linens and surfaces substantially reduce hospital-acquired infections. The study was published in the American Journal of Infection Control and resulted in all Sentara hospitals being equipped with copper-infused materials including countertops, sinks, bedside tables, blankets, towels, bedsheets, and patient gowns. Sentara adopted new innovations in 2013 in other areas as well. Sentara Heart Hospital physicians were among the first in Virginia to use cardiac catheter cryoablation for treating atrial fibrillation, and several hospitals began treating advanced prostate cancer using Xofigo®, a newly approved drug. In addition, TeleNeurology went live at Sentara emergency departments, offering patients remote access to neurologists. - [Reaching Patients at Home](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/reaching-patients-at-home/) - Continuing its commitment to utilize technology to improve the patient experience, Sentara introduced new programs to reach patients at home in 2012. The new Sentara to Home service allowed specialists to deliver prescription medications and home medical supplies to patients’ rooms prior to hospital discharge. In addition, Sentara partnered with MDLive, a network offering virtual physician consultations online and via telephone, to allow patients throughout Virginia to consult a physician quickly and easily from home. - [Sentara Wins Employer of Choice® Award](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-wins-employer-of-choice-award/) - Sentara wins the Employer of Choice® award. - [One of the Nation’s “Most Wired” Health Systems](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/one-of-the-nations-most-wired-health-systems/) - Continuing to harness technology to improve the patient experience, Sentara launched MyChart in 2008. This secure internet portal allows patients to access their medical information, correspond with their doctors, order prescription refills, and schedule appointments. Around the same time, Sentara’s electronic medical record system Sentara eCare® was recognized with multiple awards, including the 2009 CIO 100 Award and the 2010 HIMSS Davies Award, which recognize organizations using IT in innovative ways. For its efforts to use technology to improve health, Sentara has been named one of the nation’s “Most Wired” health systems four times. - [Sentara Helps Address Opioid Epidemic](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-receives-federal-grant/) - Sentara works to curb the opioid epidemic with Sentara Medical Group using one-click access to the Virginia Prescription Monitoring Program, Sentara CarePlex leading Narcan administration training for local police, and Sentara RMH Medical Center receiving a federal grant to prevent opioid misuse. - [The New Hospital Safety Score Ranks Top Scores](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/the-new-hospital-safety-score-ranks-top-scores/) - In the Leapfrog Group’s inaugural Hospital Safety Score rankings in 2012, all Sentara Hampton Roads Hospitals—from Williamsburg to Virginia Beach—received top scores for the safety of their care environments. The next year, eight hospitals received “A” grades for safety, including the seven Hampton Roads hospitals and Sentara RMH Medical Center in Harrisonburg. - [Sentara Enhances Safety Culture](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-enhances-safety-culture/) - By 2004, Sentara developed safety goals and action plans to implement safety Red Rules across the entire system. Sentara Hospitals strived to improve compliance with surgical site infection prevention best practices, Sentara Home Care exceeded its goal to improve wound status for patients with surgical wounds, and a safety pilot program at Sentara Norfolk General improved the patient identification process through cross checking patients’ armbands and lab specimen labels. Employees were empowered by the safety culture and the Sentara Promise reassured patients that they were in good hands. - [Sentara’s Culture of Safety Spreads](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentaras-culture-of-safety-spreads/) - Sentara’s behavior-based expectations (BBEs) and Red Rules established standard protocols of communication and enabled employees to ensure clinical quality on a person-to-person basis. Sentara employees were recognized and rewarded for practicing BBEs and catching potential errors before they reached the bedside. As the success of Sentara’s Culture of Safety grew, Sentara leaders formed Healthcare Performance Improvement (HPI), a consultancy that provides patient safety coaching to other health care systems. By 2013, HPI had coached more than 400 hospital clients. - [Prioritizing Patient Safety](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/prioritizing-patient-safety/) - Patient safety has always been a top priority for Sentara, but in the early 2000s Sentara developed new programs and processes to acknowledge the importance of safety in a more high-profile way. The Sentara Safety Initiative changed the culture by promoting behaviors that resulted in safe, reliable, and productive performance. Sentara formed a safety team - [Sentara Launches Community Care Programs](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-launches-community-care-programs/) - Sentara launched the Sentara Community Care program in July 2022, providing vulnerable community members with greater access to healthcare. This innovative new program offers neighborhood-level access to care for Medicaid members and uninsured individuals to address health disparities. Two Sentara Community Care Centers opened in Norfolk, Virginia—one inside the Union Mission homeless shelter and one in the medically underserved Berkely neighborhood. The third program serves all of Hampton Roads through the Sentara Mobile Care bus. Sentara plans to expand the Community Care program to other regions in 2023. - [Dennis Matheis Becomes Sentara President and CEO](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/dennis-matheis-becomes-sentara-president-and-ceo/) - In September 2022, Dennis Matheis became president and CEO of Sentara Healthcare. Matheis has spent the past 30 years in leadership roles within the healthcare industry, including serving as a Sentara executive vice president and president of Sentara Health Plans. In that position, Matheis spearheaded the joint ownership of Virginia Premier with VCU Health System and led the technological modernization of Sentara Health Plans. Under his leadership, Sentara’s health plan division doubled the number of members served, bringing it to over 950,000 in total. In 2022, Virginia Business named Matheis to its annual “Power List” in Hampton Roads for his positive influence in the community during the COVID-19 pandemic. - [Sentara Administers First COVID-19 Vaccines](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-administers-first-covid-19-vaccines/) - Sentara received its first COVID-19 vaccine shipment in December 2020. Employee vaccination clinics were set up within 24 hours of FDA approval of the vaccine. Within a few weeks, every Sentara employee with a high risk of COVID-19 exposure had the opportunity to get vaccinated. In January 2021, Sentara partnered with local cities, health districts, colleges, and medical schools to organize two large-scale vaccination clinics for eligible community members. These clinics had administered 10,000 vaccines by the time they closed. - [Sentara Celebrates 125 Years of Service](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-celebrates-125-years-of-service/) - Sentara celebrates 125 years of service throughout Virginia, Northeastern North Carolina, and beyond. - [Sentara Named Top Integrated Healthcare Network](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-named-top-integrated-healthcare-network/) - IMS Health’s Top 100 IHN list recognizes the top 100 integrated healthcare networks (IHNs) in the country. In 2001, Sentara was named the nation’s top IHN out of over 500 systems nationwide. In 2012, with the ranking in its 15th year, Sentara remained the only IHN in the nation to be listed among the top 10 each year. Sentara was named the nation’s number one IHN three times—in 2001, 2009, 2010, and 2011—with particularly strong performance in physician participation, incorporation of technology, and overall integration. - [Nightingale Celebrates Its 40th Anniversary](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/nightingale-celebrates-its-40th-anniversary/) - The Sentara Nightingale Regional Air Ambulance celebrates its 40th year in operation. In 2022, Nightingale flew 863 live-saving missions. - [New Technology Improves ICU Care](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/new-technology-improves-icu-care/) - As Sentara entered the 2000s, the system focused on using new technologies to improve the quality of patient care. At the time, Intensive Care Units (ICUs) faced challenges—across the country, most ICUs were understaffed, expensive to run, and had high mortality rates. To address these issues, Sentara became the first in the nation to adopt an innovative new system called eICU®, which combined computer software, video feeds, and real-time patient information to help hospitals better manage ICUs. The system allowed off-site specialists to monitor patients through video feeds, communicate with nurses, and track patients’ medical history on a computer. In its first three years, the eICU® system reduced mortality by 16 percent and resulted in cost savings of $3 million. - [Research and Clinical Trials](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/research-and-clinical-trials/) - In 2021, Sentara launched the Sentara Health Research Center to provide support for research conducted across the system and in the community. By 2022, more than 85 Sentara physicians were serving as principal investigators in research and clinical trials, representing a 32 percent increase from the previous year. Sentara’s total number of clinical trials increased by 14 percent to 169. These trials encompassed cardiovascular, neurology, oncology, pulmonology, critical care, and specialty medicine, including the Virginia Department of Health COVID-19 Serology Study. - [Strengthening Educational Research](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/exploring-ways-an-affiliation-could-strengthen-educational-research/) - Old Dominion University, Eastern Virginia Medical School, and Sentara Healthcare commit to exploring ways an affiliation could strengthen educational research and healthcare outcomes in Hampton Roads. - [Sentara Serves Communities Locally and Abroad](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-serves-communities-locally-and-abroad/) - Throughout its history, Sentara has been dedicated to serving its community. In 2022, Sentara awarded over 160 grants totaling $9.6 million, in addition to $2.8 million in sponsorships for 142 organizations. Sentara donated 100 pallets of medical supplies to Operation Blessing, Christian Relief, Feed My Sheep, the Tidewater Ukrainian School, Christians United for Haiti, and Somebody Cares America. These organizations worked in Ukraine, Poland, Haiti, and the Philippines as they recovered from natural disasters or war. Sentara kept its commitment to its local communities as well, donating to 71 charities in Virginia and North Carolina. The charities, such as Habitat for Humanity, church organizations, and food pantries, work to support vulnerable community members and eliminate barriers to healthcare access. Sentara kept its commitment to its local communities as well, donating to 71 charities in Virginia and North Carolina. The charities, such as Habitat for Humanity, church organizations, and food pantries, work to support vulnerable community members and eliminate barriers to healthcare access. - [COVID-19 Hospitalizations Reach Record Highs](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/covid-19-hospitalizations-reach-record-highs/) - In January, Sentara postpones hospital-based, non-emergent surgeries, procedures and diagnostic testing as COVID-19 hospitalizations reach record highs. Surgeries continue after a three-week pause. - [Sentara Medical Transport, LLC](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/medical-transport-llc-is-sold/) - Medical Transport, LLC is sold. - [Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center Achieves Trauma III Designation](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-northern-virginia-medical-center-achieves-trauma-iii-designation/) - Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center achieves Trauma III designation. - [Sentara RMH Medical Center Opens a Heart Failure Clinic](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-rmh-medical-center-opens-a-heart-failure-clinic/) - Sentara RMH Medical Center opens a heart failure clinic. - [Six Sentara Medical Group Practices Achieve the Rural Health Clinic Certification](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/six-sentara-medical-group-practices-achieve-the-rural-health-clinic-certification/) - Six Sentara medical group practices achieve the Rural Health Clinic Certification from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. - [Sentara Norfolk General Hospital Launches “Moms Matter”](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-norfolk-general-hospital-launches-moms-matter/) - Sentara Norfolk General Hospital is the first hospital in Virginia to launch “Moms Matter,” a home-based care program supporting new moms diagnosed with hypertension. It is funded in part by a $65,000 grant from the Sentara Cares corporate social responsibility program. - [Sentara Heart Hospital Performs Novel Transplant](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-heart-hospital-performs-states-first-donation-after-circulatory-death/) - Sentara Heart Hospital performs the state’s first donation after circulatory death, a novel heart transplant method that allows surgeons to revive a donor heart after it has stopped beating. - [Sentara Named One of the Best Employers for Women](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/forbes-names-sentara-one-of-the-best-health-system-employers-for-women/) - Forbes names Sentara one of the best health system employers for women. - [Sentara Brock Cancer Center Opens](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/the-sentara-brock-cancer-center-opens-for-patient-care/) - The Sentara Brock Cancer Center opens for patient care. The new patient-centered facility brings together expert care teams, community organizations, and holistic cancer treatment services. - [Growth at Sentara BelleHarbour](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/the-sentara-belleharbour-outpatient-campus-grows/) - The Sentara BelleHarbour outpatient campus grows, adding a second medical office building with two operating rooms, new observation beds, a larger 24-hour emergency department, and a new helipad for the Nightingale Regional Air Ambulance. - [Cybersecurity Solutions](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/researchers-develop-blockchain-empowered-cybersecurity-solution/) - Sentara IT and Old Dominion University researchers jointly develop a blockchain-empowered cybersecurity solution to monitor network activities of mobile devices and provide real-time alerts of unauthorized communications. - [Installation of State-Of-The-Art Linear Accelerator](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/installation-of-state-of-the-art-linear-accelerator/) - The Sentara RMH Hahn Cancer Center and Sentara CarePlex Hospital install a state-of-the-art linear accelerator, the Varian TrueBeam radiotherapy system, for treating cancer patients. - [Sentara and Optima Health Launch Mobile Apps](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-and-optima-health-launch-mobile-apps/) - Sentara and Optima Health launch mobile apps. - [Sentara College of Health Sciences Expands Educational Programs](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-college-of-health-sciences-expands-educational-programs/) - Sentara College of Health Sciences expands its educational programs to meet the needs of clinical staff. New programs include distance learning for RN to BSN and clinical nurse leader MSN; master’s in clinical nurse leader and entry to nursing practice; and patient care technician certification. - [Sentara Responds to Hurricane Florence](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-provides-healthcare-in-north-carolina-after-hurricane-florence/) - Sentara team members travel to provide healthcare in North Carolina after Hurricane Florence. Two teams of 40 volunteers set up a mini-hospital to treat patients in need following the hurricane. - [Sentara Opens Five New Urgent Care Centers](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-opens-five-new-urgent-care-centers/) - Sentara opens five new urgent care centers, increasing the Virginia total to 15. - [Sentara Opens Intensive Outpatient Program](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/opening-intensive-outpatient-program-and-partial-hospitalization-program/) - Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital opens an intensive outpatient program and a partial hospitalization program for individuals experiencing mental health or substance misuse concerns. - [Three Hospitals Complete Renovation Projects](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/three-hospitals-complete-renovation-projects/) - In 2018, three hospitals made major renovations to modernize and increase capacity. Virginia Beach General completed the first phase of a $49-million renovation to the hospital’s three intensive care units, consolidating them into a single state-of-the-art facility to serve 24 patients at once. Princess Anne completed a $35-million expansion, which included 24 new inpatient beds, expanded capacity for cardiac monitoring, and an updated inpatient dialysis center. Norfolk General opened five new floors in two wings of the hospital. These expansions allowed Sentara to better serve the needs of its communities. - [Northern Virginia Medical Center Adds Neurology](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/northern-virginia-medical-center-adds-neurosurgery/) - Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center adds neurology to its services. - [Sentara Medical Group Establishes Centralized Nurse Advice Line](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/establishes-centralized-nurse-advice-line/) - Sentara Medical Group establishes a centralized nurse advice line. - [Sentara Offers Clot Vacuuming Procedure](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/first-in-hampton-roads-to-offer-clot-vacuuming-procedure/) - Sentara Norfolk General Hospital is the first in Hampton Roads to offer a clot vacuuming procedure. This innovative procedure allows surgeons to remove blood clots without invasive open surgery. - [Sentara CarePlex Hospital Introduces Maternity Services](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-careplex-hospital-introduces-maternity-services/) - Sentara CarePlex Hospital introduces maternity services. - [Martha Jefferson Hospital Foundation Funds Hospital-Centric Programs](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/martha-jefferson-hospital-foundation-funds-hospital-centric-programs/) - In 2017, the Martha Jefferson Hospital Foundation funded three important programs at Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital: the Haden Nursing Institute, the Caring Tradition fund, and inpatient and outpatient palliative care services. Each program encourages a communal and interdisciplinary approach to the health care profession. The Haden Nursing Institute promoted nursing excellence through education, research, scholarship, and fellowship programs. The Caring Tradition fund supports hospital programs and offers a way for hospital staff to perform various acts of kindness. - [Sentara Edinburgh](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-edinburgh/) - Sentara Edinburgh, a 12-acre healthcare campus, opens in Chesapeake; Sentara Family Medicine opens in Charlottesville; and Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center opens a new electrophysiology lab. - [Sentara Launches Proprium Specialty Pharmacy](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-enterprises-launches-proprium-pharmacy/) - Sentara Enterprises launches Proprium Pharmacy and PITCH (Promoting Independence Through Care at Home). - [Sentara Launches Sentara Regional Transfer Center](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-launches-sentara-regional-transfer-center/) - Sentara launches the Sentara Regional Transfer Center. - [Sentara Certified for Safety and Quality](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/first-healthcare-system-in-the-u-s-to-receive-multi-site-certification/) - Sentara Healthcare is the first healthcare system in the U.S. to receive multi-site certification in the ISO 9001 Quality Management system from the accrediting body DNV-GL. The International Standards Organization (ISO) supports consistent application of best practices in quality and safety in health care and other disciplines. - [Sentara Makes Enhancements to Telemedicine](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-makes-enhancements-to-telemedicine/) - Sentara makes enhancements to telemedicine, adding virtual visitations at Sentara Princess Anne Hospital’s NICU, tele-neurology services at Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center, and tele-psych services at six emergency departments. - [Sentara Expands to North Carolina and Alabama](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-expands-to-north-carolina-and-alabama/) - Sentara took a significant step in extending its services to new communities when the system welcomed Albemarle Hospital in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, to the Sentara family. Through this partnership, Sentara became the long-term operator of the Northeastern North Carolina hospital, which was renamed Sentara Albemarle Medical Center in May 2014. In 2015, Sentara Albemarle Medical Center introduced primary care in the nearby community of Edenton and launched a local primary care call center. At the same time, Sentara Health Plans expanded to Alabama, partnering with Huntsville Hospital Health System to form a new company to deliver health care services to Alabama Medicaid recipients. - [Sentara School of Histotechnology](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-starts-school-of-histotechnology/) - Sentara RMH Medical Center starts a school of histotechnology. The school is one of just a few in the nation that is associated with a hospital system. - [Sentara Norfolk General Ranked Virginia’s Top Hospital](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-norfolk-general-ranked-virginias-top-hospital/) - Every year, U.S. News & World Report evaluates the quality of hospitals across the nation to produce their “Best Hospitals” rankings. In 2013 and 2014, Sentara Norfolk General Hospital was ranked the number-one hospital in Virginia. By 2015, Norfolk General’s cardiology and heart surgery program had been ranked inside the “Top 50” heart programs in the country for 15 consecutive years. The hospital’s ear, nose, and throat program has also been consistently ranked among the nation’s “Top 50.” Sentara Norfolk General Hospital’s consistent ranking among the nation’s best hospitals reflects Sentara’s commitment to providing high-quality care to every patient. - [Sentara Martha Jefferson Opens Neuroscience Center](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-martha-jefferson-hospital-opens-a-neuroscience-center/) - Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital opens a neuroscience center. - [Sentara Unveils the Sentara Neurosciences Institute](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-unveils-the-sentara-neurosciences-institute/) - Sentara unveils the Sentara Neurosciences Institute, a network of neuroscience experts. - [TransOral Robotic Surgery](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/first-to-offer-transoral-robotic-surgery-procedure/) - Sentara Norfolk General Hospital and Eastern Virginia Medical School are the first in the state to offer the TransOral Robotic Surgery procedure. - [The Orthopaedic Hospital at Sentara CarePlex](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/the-orthopaedic-hospital-at-sentara-careplex/) - The Orthopaedic Hospital at Sentara CarePlex, the first dedicated orthopedic hospital in Virginia, opens. - [Sentara First to Win Accreditation](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-first-to-win-accreditation/) - Sentara is the first in Virginia to win accreditation as a “Network Cancer Program” from the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer. The Sentara Cancer Network received a second Outstanding Achievement Award in 2012. - [Sentara facilities Become Tobacco-Free](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-facilities-become-tobacco-free/) - All Sentara facilities become tobacco-free. - [Sentara Home Care Expands](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-home-care-acquires-martha-jefferson-hospitals-home-care-division/) - Sentara Home Care acquires Martha Jefferson Hospital’s Home Care division. In 2009, Sentara acquires Bath Community House Home Health and Hospice of the Highlands. - [Two Sentara Employees Recover Abducted Infant](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/two-sentara-employees-recover-abducted-infant/) - Two Sentara radiological technicians became heroes in December 2007, when they safely recovered an abducted infant. Sue Midgett and Lisa Ahlbrandt heard an AMBER Alert on the radio at Sentara Leigh Hospital, stating that a one-month-old had been abducted. The two women recognized the name of the suspect, a woman they had just treated who had been carrying an infant. They ran to the emergency room and were able to delay the woman until the police arrived. For their actions, Midgett and Ahlbrandt received the AMBER Alert Citizen Award. - [Sentara CarePlex Hospital Opens](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-careplex-hospital-opens/) - Sentara CarePlex Hospital opens in Hampton, replacing Hampton General Hospital. - [A New Way to Give Back](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/a-new-way-to-give-back-2/) - In 1998, Sentara established the Sentara Health Foundation to further its not-for-profit mission of serving the community. “Sentara has always believed in giving back to the community,” said CEO David Bernd. “The creation of the foundation simply formalizes what we’ve always done.” The Foundation supports Sentara’s charitable activities and health improvement initiatives. As Sentara merged with other hospitals, it offered opportunities to advance healthcare services in communities throughout Virginia and North Carolina. Today, Sentara’s foundations in Charlottesville, Hampton Roads, Harrisonburg, Northeastern North Carolina, Northern Virginia, and South Boston continue to make an impact on the communities it serves. - [Sentara Receives the U.S. Senate Productivity Award](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-receives-the-u-s-senate-productivity-award/) - Sentara receives the U.S. Senate Productivity Award. - [A New Name for a New Era](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/a-new-name-for-a-new-era/) - As Alliance Health System expanded its scope of services, the need arose for a distinctive new name that would capture the organization’s identity. Out of dozens of possibilities, one name stood out: Sentara. Derived from the Latin word for feeling or perception, the name evoked words like sentry, sensitive, and century—appropriate given the organization's long history of caring for the community. In 1987, Alliance Health System officially became Sentara Health System and its five subsidiaries and 20 business lines rebranded to incorporate the new name. - [Norfolk General Becomes a Level I Shock Trauma Center](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/norfolk-general-hospital-becomes-a-level-i-shock-trauma-center/) - Norfolk General Hospital becomes a Level I Shock Trauma Center. - [Building an Integrated System](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/building-an-integrated-system/) - In 1983, the Medical Center Hospitals Board of Directors voted to form Alliance Healthcare System, a nonprofit holding company, transforming the organization from a hospital company into an integrated healthcare system. This new corporate structure allowed for more service offerings, including urgent care, child care, diagnostic centers, and home healthcare programs such as Home Care Services, which had formed in 1982. The Medical Center Hospitals were now better poised to compete with their for-profit counterparts and offer a broader range of services to the community. - [Rockingham Memorial Hospital Opens the First Hospice Program](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/rockingham-memorial-hospital-opens-the-first-hospice-program/) - Rockingham Memorial Hospital opens the first hospice program in the Harrisonburg-Rockingham County area. - [Potomac Hospital School of Anesthesia](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/potomac-hospital-school-of-anesthesia-first-graduation/) - Potomac Hospital School of Anesthesia for Nurses holds its first graduation. - [Leigh Memorial Hospital Moves](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/leigh-memorial-hospital-moves/) - Leigh Memorial Hospital moves to its present-day location in Norfolk. - [Bayside Hospital Opens](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/a-historic-merger-2/) - In 1972, a for-profit company called Extendicare announced plans to build a hospital in the Pembroke area of Virginia Beach. Three years later, Bayside Hospital opened, featuring over 250 beds. Completed at a cost of nearly $9 million, the five-story hospital became the first investor-owned, general-care facility in Hampton Roads. Bayside was the 61st hospital opened nationwide by the Kentucky-based Extendicare, which later changed its name to Humana, Inc. - [Dixie Hospital is Renamed](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/dixie-hospital-is-renamed/) - Dixie Hospital is renamed Hampton General Hospital. - [Dixie Hospital Relocates](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/dixie-hospital-relocates-to-a-new-facility-on-victoria-boulevard-in-hampton/) - Dixie Hospital Relocates to a New Facility on Victoria Boulevard in Hampton. - [Louise Obici Memorial Hospital Opens in Suffolk](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/louis-obici-memorial-hospital-opens-in-suffolk/) - Italian immigrant Amedeo Obici made Suffolk, Virginia, famous when he relocated his business, Planters Peanut Company, there in 1921. When his wife Louise died, Obici sought to honor her with a memorial that would also benefit his adopted community. In 1945, Obici set up a charitable foundation to raise funds for a hospital in Suffolk that would bear his wife’s name. In 1951, the Louise Obici Memorial Hospital opened with 117 beds, 58 physicians, and 30 registered nurses. - [Virginia Beach’s First Hospital](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/virginia-beachs-first-hospital/) - Virginia Beach gained popularity as a vacation spot in the 20th century, becoming a bustling community by the 1940s. With the nearest hospitals over 20 miles away in Norfolk, two local physicians recognized the need for a hospital in Virginia Beach. Dr. Waller Taylor and Dr. Herman Dormire invested $150,000 to build a 25-bed hospital to serve their growing community, which opened in 1948. - [Norfolk Protestant Hospital Renamed](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/norfolk-protestant-hospital-is-renamed-norfolk-general-hospital/) - Norfolk Protestant Hospital is renamed Norfolk General Hospital. - [Martha Jefferson Hospital Opens](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/the-new-50-bed-marth-jefferson-hospital-opens-and-is-reorganized-as-a-not-for-profit-community-hospital/) - The New, 50-Bed Martha Jefferson Hospital opens and is reorganized as a Not-For-Profit Community Hospital. - [Bell Hospital Opens in Williamsburg](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/bell-hospital-opens-in-williamsburg/) - In 1925, local physician Baxter Bell opened Bell Hospital on Cary Street in Williamsburg, Virginia. At the time, this privately owned facility was the only hospital in the area and had 20 beds for patients. Dr. Bell and his family lived in a cottage next to the hospital, and his son continued his legacy of treating patients there. This small hospital would one day become Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center. - [Sentara Named LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Top Performer](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-named-lgbtq-healthcare-equality-top-performer/) - Eleven Sentara hospitals earn LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Top Performer status in the Healthcare Equality Index survey. - [Sentara College of Health Sciences Earns Recognition](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-college-of-health-sciences-earns-recognition/) - The Sentara College of Health Sciences is named "Best of Coastal Virginia" in three categories—Private College/University, Specialty School, and Technical School—in Coastal Virginia Magazine's Readers' Choice Awards. - [Sentara Named Best Employer](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-named-best-employer/) - Sentara Healthcare received several notable awards in 2022. Forbes named Sentara "Best Employer" in Virginia, as well as an employer of choice for veterans and new graduates. For its efforts to improve health through advanced technology, Sentara was named one of the "Most Wired" health systems by the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) for the fifth time. In addition, the Carolinas-Virginia Minority Suppliers Development Council named Sentara “Regional Corporation of the Year” for its efforts to diversify its supplier base. - [OptaFi Established](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/optafi-established/) - Sentara partnered with Infinite Computer Solutions to establish the joint venture OptaFi, LLC in 2022. Headquartered in Virginia Beach, OptaFi's mission is to modernize healthcare by providing healthcare companies with a reliable pathway to digital health. OptaFi's core services include managing electronic medical records in the Cloud, building data analytics platforms, and assessing and planning security frameworks specific to the needs of the healthcare industry. - [New Sentara Medical Group Practices](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/new-sentara-medical-group-practices/) - Sentara Medical Group introduces new practices throughout Virginia, including primary care in Staunton, plastic surgery in Virginia Beach, gastroenterology in Newport News, weight loss in Hampton, family and internal medicine in Stafford, outpatient care in Charlottesville, and comprehensive care in Norfolk. - [VB Strong Center Receives Additional Funding](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/vb-strong-center-receives-additional-funding/) - In 2022, the VB Strong Center, a partnership between Sentara and the City of Virginia Beach, received additional funding to continue its services. Sentara helped create the VB Strong Center to aid community members affected by the Virginia Beach Municipal Center mass shooting in 2019. The federal Justice Department grant that has funded the Center since 2019 was extended in 2022 under a new funds manager—the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association Foundation. These new funds will allow the VB Strong Center to continue its vital work until at least 2024. - [Sentara Williamsburg Receives Level 1 ‘Gold’ Honor](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-williamsburg-receives-level-1-gold-honor/) - Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center receives Level I ‘Gold’ accreditation from the American College of Emergency Physicians’ Geriatric Emergency Department accreditation program. - [Sentara Albemarle Medical Center Groundbreaking](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-albemarle-medical-center-groundbreaking-2/) - In 2022, Sentara broke ground on the new Sentara Albemarle Medical Center. This state-of-the-art, 88-bed hospital will replace the current 60-year-old facility in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. The hospital's design reflects the latest trends and new technologies used in healthcare, including a new digital hub to provide virtual visits with medical providers and a new linear accelerator for more accurate radiation therapy. The hospital is part of a 135-acre campus and will adjoin a 60,000-square-foot medical office building. - [Sentara Invests in Students and Neighborhoods](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-invests-in-students-and-neighborhoods/) - Sentara continued to support community initiatives in 2022, investing $11 million in the Marshall-Ridley Choice Neighborhood revitalization project. This investment will help rejuvenate public housing in Newport News, Virginia, with the construction of new apartment buildings and townhomes in the Ridley Place neighborhood. Sentara also made significant contributions to programs for students in 2022, investing nearly $4 million in Sentara Scholars and Sentara CHOICE—two programs that support students pursuing careers in healthcare. - [Sentara Life Care](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-sells-life-care-division/) - In 2020, Sentara divested its Life Care division to Saber Healthcare Group, an Ohio-based long-term care company that operates over 100 assisted living facilities across the country. - [College of William & Mary recognizes Sentara Healthcare](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/college-of-william-mary-recognizes-sentara-healthcare/) - The College of William & Mary recognizes Sentara Healthcare with the Botetourt Award for its $7.4 million gift in kind to the College for construction of its School of Education. - [Optima Health Expands to Roanoke](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/optima-health-begins-providing-health-plans/) - Optima Health begins providing Individual, Commercial, and Medicaid health plans in Southwest Virginia and expands to Roanoke. - [A Historic Hospital Merger](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/a-historic-merger/) - In 1972, Norfolk General Hospital and Leigh Memorial Hospital merged to form Medical Center Hospitals. The two hospitals, only one mile apart, had considered joining forces for decades. By the early 1970s, each hospital’s board recognized that combining would enable them to better serve the community and shoulder the rising costs of charity care and expansion in an era of economic uncertainty. The resulting merger gave job security to the 2,500 employees of the two hospitals, and enabled Leigh Memorial to move to a new location. One of the first major hospital mergers in U.S. history, the consolidation of Norfolk General and Leigh Memorial provided a pattern for other hospitals to follow. - [Sentara Continues to Support Veterans](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-continues-to-support-veterans/) - Continuing its commitment to aid veterans, Sentara partnered with Western Governors University (WGU), in collaboration with Hampton Roads Veterans Employment Center, to launch the Sentara Service to Scholars Grant Program. The program provided veterans with up to $4,750 each to earn a bachelor’s degree in information technology, health, or business from WGU. In addition, Sentara awarded the Virginia Veterans Services Foundation a $150,000 grant to help fund behavioral and rehabilitative health care, suicide prevention programs, and cover rent and utility payments for veterans. - [Sentara Named a Leader in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/a-trauma-nurse-at-sentara-norfolk-general-hospital/) - In 2020, all 12 Sentara hospitals were designated leaders in LGBTQ healthcare equality by the Healthcare Equality Index. Sentara was also named to the CIO’s list of the world’s top 100 innovative organizations, reflecting its commitment to implementing cutting-edge technologies that improve healthcare. Sentara received the honor for its industry-leading work with Cloud-hosted application design, support, and cost optimization. EduMed ranked Sentara College’s RN to BSN program number one in Virginia and number seven in the country. Sentara was also recognized by the American College of Cardiology in the “Best Hospitals” issue of U.S. News & World Report as one of the top health systems in the U.S. for providing quality care to heart patients. - [Sentara Brock Cancer Center Makes Advancements](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-brock-cancer-center-makes-advancements/) - Sentara Brock Cancer Center made significant advancements in research opportunities and therapeutic care in 2022. After receiving $3 million from the Hillier Ignite Foundation, Sentara Brock Cancer Center formed the Luke Hillier Cancer Research Alliance—a collaboration between Eastern Virginia Medical School, Virginia Oncology Associates, and Sentara to expand cancer research and care in the Hampton Roads area. With the donation, the Brock Cancer Center expanded clinical trial opportunities for the thousands of patients they treat. In addition, Sentara opened the Carrillo Kern Center for Integrative Therapies—a therapy center that integrates traditional medicine with holistic treatments such as yoga, meditation, art therapy, and acupuncture. The holistic approach can support a patient’s mind, body, and spirit as they undergo cancer treatments. The Sentara Brock Cancer Center was the first in the region to offer this type of therapy center. - [Sentara Promotes Health Equity](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-promotes-health-equity/) - In 2021, Sentara made two major decisions to address health inequity. First, it designated a new position—the Medical Director of Health Equity—to address issues internally and promote equity externally. Second, Sentara became a corporate member of two leading organizations—Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) and Healthcare Anchor Network—that promote diversity and address social inequities. Sentara joined the ranks of Amazon, Apple, Disney, GE, and Google in LCLD, a group that promotes inclusivity in the legal profession. Sentara is one of the few members representing the healthcare industry. Through the Health Anchor Network, Sentara joined other healthcare networks across the country to design and foster strategies to address economic and racial inequities that limit health and wellness. - [Sentara and Hospitals Receive Honors](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-and-hospitals-receive-honors/) - Sentara was recognized with numerous awards in 2021. Among these honors was the 2021 Darden Award from the CIVIC Leadership Institute for exceptional services that improve a community’s quality of life. Sentara was the first nonprofit organization to receive the Darden Award. Sentara was again named a “Top 15 Health System” in the nation by IBM Watson Health. Individual hospitals also received recognition. Sentara Princess Anne Hospital’s emergency department (ED) became the second in Virginia to achieve the Lantern Award, which recognizes EDs for exceptional performance in leadership, education, advocacy, research, and practices. Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center and Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital received the American Heart Association’s GoldPlus Get With The Guidelines Stroke Quality Achievement Award, and Sentara Norfolk General Hospital tied for the number three hospital in Virginia. Four Sentara hospitals earned “A” grades in safety from the Leapfrog Group. - [Sentara Invests in Communities](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-invests-in-communities/) - Sentara invested a total of $254 million in its communities in 2021, including $23 million in health education and prevention programs, $48 million in training opportunities for healthcare professionals, $16 million in community giving, and $167 million in uncompensated patient care. Sentara invested $50 million in the Sentara Healthier Communities Fund, created to improve the health and lives of patients and neighbors and to address health disparities magnified by the impact of COVID-19. Through the Healthier Communities Fund, Sentara pledged $4 million to Old Dominion University and Norfolk State University to help develop a school of public health, and up to $6 million to address health inequities in Virginia communities. - [Sentara Adapts to Address the Pandemic](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-adapts-to-address-the-pandemic/) - Sentara continued its efforts to respond to the challenges posed by COVID-19 throughout 2020. By year’s end, Sentara had provided COVID tests for over 14,000 people from vulnerable populations at free health equity events in Virginia and North Carolina—in addition to conducting over 100,000 in-house tests. Sentara conducted over 200,000 telehealth visits and trained 360 specialists and primary care providers to deploy to hospitals to provide care for COVID-19 patients if needed. In addition, Sentara collected over $705,000 through the Sentara COVID-19 Community Relief Fund to support critical resources and services needed to stop the spread of the virus. - [Sentara Hospitals Receive Recognition](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-hospitals-receive-recognition/) - Sentara’s hospitals continued to earn recognition for their quality in 2020, receiving awards from several prominent health organizations. The American Heart Association recognized 10 Sentara hospitals for their achievements in stroke care, and three hospitals were recognized in Newsweek’s 2020 “List of Best Maternity Hospitals.” Three hospitals also received Healthgrades’ Outstanding Patient Experience Award in 2020. Sentara Albemarle Medical Center received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain—MI Registry silver performance achievement award, and Sentara RMH Medical Center was named to IBM Watson Health’s list of “Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospitals.” The Lown Institute, an organization founded by a renowned cardiologist and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, ranked Sentara Halifax Regional Hospital number 20 in its list of “Best U.S. Hospitals” and ranked Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center number five in patient outcomes. Sentara Norfolk General Hospital earned a top 25 ranking in urology from U.S. News & World Report. - [Sentara Supports Victims of Violence](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-supports-victims-of-violence/) - In 2020, the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services awarded Sentara Norfolk General Hospital and Sentara CarePlex Hospital $400,000 to improve public safety and health for victims of violence. Both hospitals used the grant to hire and train staff, and implement programs to help survivors of shootings, stabbings, sexual assault, and domestic violence. The program’s mission is to break the cycle of violence and allow the survivor to heal. - [Sentara Supports the Community during the Pandemic](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-supports-the-community-during-the-pandemic/) - In 2020, Sentara provided $255 million in uncompensated patient care, medical education, and community support. Much of Sentara’s giving in 2020 was focused on responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly pandemic-related food insecurity. In partnership with Truist, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the Federation of Virginia Food Banks, Sentara launched an emergency food support plan to provide free meals to families struggling with food insecurity. Sentara and Optima contributed $500,000 toward the initiative, which distributed 100,000 boxes of food to families in need throughout Virginia. - [Sentara Responds to COVID-19](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-responds-to-covid-19/) - As the COVID-19 public health emergency grew in March 2020, Sentara committed to supporting employees and keeping the community safe. Sentara acted quickly to improve personal protective equipment inventory, offer telework, expand counseling for staff, and widen eligibility for the employee HOPE (Helping Overcome Personal Emergency) Fund. The board of directors approved an additional $500,000 donation to the HOPE Fund to assist the growing number of employees in need. When a stay-at-home order was issued, Sentara’s IT team enabled 4,000 employees to work from home, deployed a COVID-19 diagnosis chat-bot across digital platforms, managed a surge of 45,000 downloads of the Sentara and Optima apps, and assisted with telehealth visits which expanded from 20 to over 2,000 per day. In May, Sentara temporarily discontinued all non-emergency procedures in conjunction with executive orders from the governors of Virginia and North Carolina. - [VB Strong Center Opens](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/vb-strong-center-opens/) - In the aftermath of the Virginia Beach Municipal Center tragedy, Sentara partnered with the city of Virginia Beach to create the VB Strong Center. The center provided a safe space with personalized, therapeutic care for those in the community impacted by the mass shooting in May 2019. Services provided at the center included mental health counseling and alternative therapies like art, yoga, and meditation. At the opening of the center, Howard Kern, CEO of Sentara Healthcare, remarked, “The empathy and compassion demonstrated by our city . . . was truly remarkable and shows just how strong we are in the face of tragedy. . . . Sentara is honored to aid in our community’s recovery.” - [Sentara Expands its Health Plans](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-expands-its-health-plans/) - Sentara expanded its health plans in two significant ways in 2019, providing increased access to healthcare across two states. Optima Health became the majority owner of VCU Health System’s health plan, Virginia Premier, which serves nearly 800,000 members in Virginia. “As provider-led health plans, Optima Health and Virginia Premier share similar cultures,” commented Dennis Matheis, president of Optima Health at the time. “Together, we will be better positioned to increase access to quality care, achieve greater efficiencies, and develop new services to improve our members’ overall experience.” In addition to creating this new relationship with VCU Health System, Sentara obtained OhioHealthy, a health plan with 6,000 members based in central Ohio. - [Sentara Home Care Adopts New Technology](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-home-care-adopts-new-technology/) - Sentara Home Care Services Woodbridge partnered with Health Recovery Solutions (HRS) to use telehealth technology to remotely monitor patients with congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypertension, and diabetes. The Bluetooth-enabled HRS device tracks biometric data in real time so monitoring clinical staff can respond to patients quickly. The software includes medication reminders and health education modules to help patients keep track of their own health. The Home Care team at Woodbridge utilized the new technology to reduce emergency department visits and hospital admissions. - [Multiple Organizations Recognize Sentara with Awards](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/multiple-organizations-recognize-sentara-with-awards/) - Sentara earned recognition from multiple organizations for its achievements in 2019. Newsweek ranked Sentara Norfolk General Hospital and Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center among the “World’s Best Hospitals,” and Sentara Healthcare was recognized by Becker’s Hospital Review as one of “150 Top Places to Work in Healthcare.” Sentara received multiple awards from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get with The Guidelines Stroke achievement program in recognition of Sentara hospitals’ commitment to providing the highest quality care to stroke patients. Five Sentara hospitals earned “A” grades for safety from the Leapfrog Group, and U.S. News & World Report ranked Sentara Norfolk General Hospital the number two hospital in Virginia. - [Sentara Provides $309 Million in Community Benefits](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-provides-309-million-in-community-benefits/) - In 2019, Sentara provided a $309 million community benefit in uncompensated patient care, medical education, and support for community programs. Sentara and Optima contributed $50 million to address the most challenging social determinants of health, such as housing and food security, in its communities. In addition, Sentara and Optima provided a $5.5 million gift to benefit four nonprofit organizations that serve as safety nets for community members, including Virginia Community Healthcare Association, Virginia Association of Free and Charitable Clinics, Virginia Health Care Foundation, and Federation of Virginia Food Banks. In conjunction with this gift, Sentara CarePlex Hospital launched a congestive heart failure food pharmacy. The pharmacy provided a 30-day, low-sodium food pack to select patients to combat readmissions. - [Hospital Foundations Donate $1 Million to Communities](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/hospital-foundations-donate-1-million-to-communities/) - In 2019, the MJH Foundation and the RMH Foundation donated over $1 million to local charities. MJH Foundation raised $300,000 for the Charlottesville Work Initiative—an organization that provides financial support for families to purchase essentials and utilities. In the same year, RMH Foundation donated $645,000 to Rockingham County and Harrisonburg Rescue Squads to purchase 22 state-of-the-art Zoll X remote heart monitoring and transmission devices. This new technology has more accurate readings and is more compatible with standard hospital equipment. - [Nightingale Air Ambulance Continues to Serve the Region](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/nightingale-air-ambulance-continues-to-serve-the-region/) - Nightingale Regional Air Ambulance continued to expand its services in the 2010s. In 2011, the Saving Minutes Saving Lives Campaign raised $3.5 million for a new aircraft. Larger and faster than the former aircraft, the new Nightingale also has advanced new features including weather radar, night vision, autopilot, and satellite tracking. By 2019, Nightingale had expanded to nine sites in Eastern Virginia and northeast North Carolina. These sites are fully operational—even in cloudy or rainy conditions. Across its 40-year history, Nightingale has successfully transported over 24,000 critically ill and injured patients to appropriate healthcare facilities. - [Sentara Supports Veterans](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-supports-veterans/) - In 2018, Sentara made it a priority to hire female veterans to enrich its workplace. Throughout the year, Sentara hired 410 veterans—more than half of whom were women. Sentara Recruitment committed to hiring female veterans in the coming years as well, becoming a member of Virginia Values Veterans and the Army’s Partnership for Youth Success program. In 2019, the Virginia Department of Veterans Services recognized Sentara’s impact on the community at the Sixth Annual Women Veterans Summit. Today, Sentara employs more than 1,700 veterans. - [Hospital Foundations Raise $10 Million](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/hospital-foundations-raise-10-million/) - Sentara’s hospital foundations raised over $10 million for their communities in 2018. RMH Foundation raised over $4.7 million overall, supporting diabetes education services at Sentara RMH Medical Center, providing a linear accelerator for the Sentara RMH Hahn Cancer Center, and raising $43,000 for new heart monitors for Rockingham County Fire and Rescue through their annual Sunflower Hope Field fundraiser. Sentara Foundation –Hampton Roads raised $1.96 million, providing a major gift to benefit Sentara Cardiovascular Research Institute and awarding 30 community grants. MJH Foundation raised nearly $3.5 million for the high-risk breast cancer program, cancer survivorship program, family caregiver support program, and Center for Clinical Education at Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital. - [Sentara Supports Community Initiatives with $390 Million](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-supports-community-initiatives-with-390-million/) - Sentara contributed $390 million to the communities it serves in 2018, supporting community initiatives, providing uncompensated care to patients, and tripling its support for Eastern Virginia Medical School with a commitment of $130 million over the next five years. Across Virginia and North Carolina, 17 health-related programs received a total of $535,000, which benefitted a broad range of issues, including behavioral health, substance misuse, food insecurity, healthy diet, education, workforce readiness, transportation, EMS services, and prevention of hospital readmissions. In addition, Optima provided $5.5 million in grant funding to the community. - [Sentara Installs New Infrastructure Systems](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-installs-new-infrastructure-systems/) - In 2018, Sentara implemented two significant infrastructure systems in its hospitals. Sentara RMH Medical Center installed the Omnicell XR2 Automated Central Pharmacy System. It was the second hospital in the world to install this new state-of-the-art robot, which increased capacity five times over and has improved inventory control. In addition, Sentara Halifax Regional Hospital became the first in the nation to install Immucor Echo 2.0—a fully automated blood bank system that improves accuracy. These two new systems provided higher efficiency and greater patient safety. - [Sentara Hospitals Receive Awards](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-hospitals-receive-awards/) - In addition to awards that recognized the entire Sentara Healthcare system, multiple Sentara hospitals received recognition in 2018. Sentara Halifax Regional Hospital was named one of the “Top 100 Rural and Community Hospitals” by iVantage Health Analytics and the Chartis Center for Rural Health. Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Silver Plus Award and Target: StrokeSM Elite Honor Roll Quality Achievement Award. Five Sentara hospitals were recognized by Healthgrades for outstanding patient experience, while four received patient safety excellence awards. Three hospitals received “A” grades for safety from the Leapfrog Group. Three programs at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital were ranked in the nation’s “Top 50” by U.S. News & World Report—cardiology and heart, diabetes and endocrinology, and nephrology. - [Sentara Recognized as a Top 15 Health System](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-recognized-as-a-top-15-health-system/) - Sentara Healthcare received several prestigious honors in 2018. After analyzing metrics from over 2,000 hospitals and health systems across the country, IBM Watson Health named Sentara one of the “Top 15 Health Systems” in the nation, reflecting Sentara’s high standard of care, operational efficiency, and focus on safety and innovation. Sentara was also named to the Forbes 2018 “America’s Best Employers” list, in addition to being featured in Forbes for achieving gold level in the American Heart Association’s Workplace Health Achievement Index. These honors demonstrate Sentara’s dedication to providing the highest quality patient care to every community it serves. - [Sentara Receives Awards for Excellence](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-receives-awards-for-excellence/) - Sentara continued to gain national recognition in 2017, receiving awards from several healthcare organizations. For the second time, the General Intensive Care Unit at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital was awarded the American Association of Critical Care Nurses’ “Silver Beacon Award” for excellence in caring for critically ill patients. The Sentara Princess Anne Hospital NICU and IT teams received an “Innovative Healthcare Award” from the Intelligent Health Association for their efforts to solve the issue of staff alarm fatigue. Becker’s Hospital Review named Sentara as one of “52 Great Health Systems to Know.” Sentara Heart Hospital was ranked among the top one percent of cardiology and heart surgery programs in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. - [Optima Offers New Programs and Earns Recognition](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/optima-offers-new-programs-and-earns-recognition/) - By 2017, Optima was serving 450,000 members in Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama, and Ohio. That year, Optima launched a new Medicaid product, Optima Health Community Care, a managed care program for people with physical disabilities, long-term diseases, substance use disorders, mental health disorders, or who need help managing daily tasks. The next year, Optima introduced Optima Health Medicaid XP, expanded Medicaid coverage for Virginians who are parents, adults without children, or people with disabilities between ages 19–64. In 2017, Optima received recognition from the U.S. News & World Report for being among the nation’s Best Medicare Advantage Plans, and from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for its Medicare and prescription drug plans. - [Sentara Hospital Foundations Raise over $8 Million](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-hospital-foundations-raise-over-8-million/) - Sentara’s hospital foundations continued to support the needs of their communities in 2017, raising over $8.5 million for various philanthropic efforts. Sentara Foundation – Hampton Roads raised $1.9 million and funded 28 community grants for organizations including the Hampton Roads Community Health Center and the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Virginia Peninsula. Sentara RMH Foundation raised $3.59 million and funded six community health grants. Sentara MJH Foundation raised over $3.5 million, focusing on supporting the Center for Clinical Education, which provides education and training to clinical professionals at Martha Jefferson Hospital. - [Sentara Recognized with Multiple Awards](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-recognized-with-multiple-awards/) - Sentara received several prominent awards in 2016 in recognition of the system’s continuing efforts to improve healthcare in the region. The American Heart Association granted Mission: Lifeline Awards to six Sentara hospitals for improvement measures for heart attack patients. Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield named Sentara hospitals as “Blue Distinction Centers”—nationally designated healthcare facilities delivering improved patient safety and better health outcomes. The Leapfrog Group awarded eight Sentara hospitals an “A” grade for patient safety. U.S. News & World Report ranked Sentara Norfolk General Hospital the number one hospital in Hampton Roads and number two in Virginia. Norfolk General’s diabetes and endocrinology program was ranked 24th in the nation, with Sentara Heart Hospital’s cardiology and heart surgery program ranked 25th nationally. Becker’s Hospital Review recognized Sentara Norfolk General as one of the year’s “100 Great Hospitals” and Sentara OrthoJoint as one of 10 joint replacement programs taking care to the next level. - [Sentara Offers Specialized Orthopedic Care Throughout Virginia](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-offers-specialized-orthopedic-care-throughout-virginia/) - By 2016, 10 Sentara hospitals had opened OrthoJoint Centers, marking a milestone in the expansion of orthopedic services. Communities throughout Virginia could now receive the highest level of care for orthopedic concerns close to home. Sentara also opened four back and neck centers by this time, which provide treatment for patients experiencing back, neck, and spine pain. In 2017, Sentara introduced its first foot and ankle center at Sentara Obici Hospital and its first hand specialty center at Sentara Leigh Hospital, offering additional specialized care to orthopedic patients. In addition, the 48-bed orthopedic center at Sentara Leigh Hospital met designation criteria and became known as the Orthopedic Hospital at Sentara Leigh—the first designated orthopedic hospital in South Hampton Roads. - [Sentara Continues to Support the Community](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-continues-to-support-the-community/) - In a single year, Sentara charitable foundations, including Sentara Foundation – Hampton Roads, RMH Foundation, and MJH Foundation, raised $5 million for local programs and funded 39 community grants. In addition, Sentara RMH Medical Center gave over $11,000 to support Central Shenandoah EMS Council and its mission to provide emergency medical services and education. Sentara was recognized for its efforts to increase access to healthcare. In 2016, the Virginia Health Care Foundation awarded Sentara Medical Group a grant to increase health insurance access for pregnant women and uninsured children. - [Advancements in Cardiac Care](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/advancements-in-cardiac-care/) - In 2016, Sentara made significant strides in cardiac care. Sentara Heart Hospital became the first in the region to implant a dissolvable heart stent. It was also the first in Hampton Roads, and the second in Virginia, to implant the world’s smallest pacemaker—Medtronic’s MicraTM Transcatheter Pacemaker. The miniature system—93% smaller than other systems—reduces post-implant activity restrictions and complications. Sentara also launched the Ornish Reversal Program, a destination cardiac rehabilitation program at Sentara Princess Anne Hospital. Participants focus on lifestyle improvements including exercise, healthy eating, and stress management. The program was extremely successful and nearly 90% of participants continued their healthy habits after leaving. - [Sentara Disseminates New Innovations](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-disseminates-new-innovations/) - Prior to 2016, Sentara’s Blue Ridge and Hampton Roads facilities began offering low-dose CT lung screenings. The procedure provides medical professionals with more comprehensive information about lung cancer patients. Due to its success, Sentara offered the procedure at Sentara Albemarle Medical Center beginning in 2016, further spreading access to this cutting-edge technology. Additionally, Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital completed its first pancreaticoduodenectomy, also known as the Whipple procedure—a less invasive procedure that removes part of the pancreas, bile duct, and duodenum for pancreatic cancer patients. Previous pancreatic care procedures were major, open surgeries. In this minimally invasive approach, patients have a faster recovery. - [Howard Kern Becomes Sentara CEO](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/howard-kern-becomes-sentara-ceo/) - Howard Kern joined Sentara in 1980 as an administrative fellow at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital and became president and CEO in 2016. During his six years as CEO, Kern oversaw the development of the Sentara Brock Cancer Center and Sentara Albemarle Regional Health Campus, launched the Sentara Cares community engagement program, and created clinical quality improvement goals that led to Sentara’s inclusion on the IBM Watson Health “Top 15 Health Systems” list. In 2017, Modern Healthcare named Kern one of the 100 most influential people in healthcare. In 2019, Kern was named to Forbes’ list of “10 CEOs Transforming Healthcare in America” and received a Virginia Commonwealth University lifetime achievement and service award. - [Sentara Offers New Services to Virginia Communities](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-offers-new-services-to-virginia-communities/) - Sentara continued to open new facilities and offer expanded services to the community in 2016. The Sentara Woodview assisted living facility added new services for residents, including a 4,000-square-foot therapy gym, a new speech therapy room, and an exam room for podiatry and vision services. Sentara Martha Jefferson Orthopedics opened a walk-in sports injury clinic with physicians able to care for athletes of all ages and abilities. Sentara also opened the Sentara Therapy Center Red Mill in Virginia Beach—the system’s first outpatient therapy site to offer pediatric therapy services. - [Expansions at Three Hospitals](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/expansions-at-three-hospitals/) - In 2016, Sentara completed major construction projects at three hospitals. Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center finished construction on a new surgery center, a 67,000-square-foot facility with a sterile prep area, a pre-op and post-op area equipped with 28 beds, and 10 operating rooms. Sentara RMH Medical Center built a hybrid operating room to provide a higher level of care to heart and vascular patients. Sentara Leigh Hospital completed an eight-year renovation project, in which all surgery-related departments were updated, the emergency department added thirteen beds, and two five-story patient towers were erected. These updates allowed Sentara to continue providing the highest quality of care to its communities. - [Sentara Hospitals Recognized for Safety and Quality](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-hospitals-recognized-for-safety-and-quality/) - Multiple awards recognized Sentara’s commitment to patient safety and providing high-quality healthcare in 2015. Becker’s Hospital Review, a leading magazine for hospital news and analysis, listed Sentara RMH Medical Center among their “100 Great Community Hospitals.” Sentara Halifax Regional Hospital received the Virginia Health Quality Center’s Quality Innovation Award for creating a culture of patient safety. The Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit organization that promotes safety and quality in healthcare, awarded an “A” grade to nine Sentara hospitals for their dedication to patient safety. In addition, the Leapfrog Group recognized Sentara Leigh Hospital as one of its “Top Hospitals” in 2015. - [Sentara Adopts New Medical Innovations](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-adopts-new-medical-innovations/) - In 2015, two Sentara hospitals pursued new technological advancements and implemented new surgical techniques. At Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center, orthopedic surgeons pioneered the stemless shoulder replacement—a surgical and therapeutic treatment designed to preserve the patient’s bone and reduce complications. The procedure was the first in the D.C. metropolitan area. At Sentara Heart Hospital in Norfolk, cardiologists became the first in the region to implant a miniaturized, wireless monitor known as the CardioMEMS HF System. The dime-sized device detects worsening heart failure even before patients exhibit symptoms. In a clinical study, the monitor, which is implanted in a non-surgical procedure, reduced heart failure hospital admission by 37 percent. - [The Sentara Brand Expands Throughout Virginia](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/the-sentara-brand-expands-throughout-virginia/) - After merging with Sentara in 2011, Martha Jefferson Hospital officially adopted the Sentara brand in 2015, becoming Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital. That year, the Sentara brand was also introduced in the Halifax community, when all entities of Halifax Regional Health System adopted the Sentara name. Becoming part of the Sentara brand family positioned both hospitals as regional leaders in providing quality healthcare. - [Sentara Foundations Contribute Over $300 Million](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-foundations-contribute-over-300-million/) - In 2015, Sentara contributed over $335 million to its communities through uncompensated patient care, community health and prevention screenings, healthcare professional development, and other programs, including supporting Eastern Virginia Medical Center with a $45-million five-year commitment. In addition, the hospital foundations raised nearly $6 million for their communities in 2015. Sentara Foundation – Hampton Roads raised $1.45 million, focusing on clinical education and funding 38 community grants. RMH Foundation raised $1.5 million, prioritizing the Sentara RMH Institute for Nursing Excellence and Innovation, and the MJH Foundation raised $2.9 million for the Haden Nursing Institute and palliative care. - [New Facilities and Home Care Programs](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/new-facilities-and-home-care-programs/) - Sentara opened several new facilities and expanded its Home Care programs in 2012. In Northern Virginia, a new outpatient healthcare campus, Sentara Lake Ridge, opened to serve Prince William County. Sentara expanded therapy services to Quinton, Virginia, with a new therapy center, offering a full range of physical therapy services including orthopedic, post-surgery, geriatric, and sports medicine therapy, as well as rehabilitative services for neurological conditions. In addition to these facility openings, RMH Hospice and RMH Home Health joined Sentara Home Care. - [Sentara Opens Cutting-Edge Autonomic Testing Lab](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-opens-cutting-edge-autonomic-testing-lab/) - In 2014, Sentara became one of the first providers in the country to open a full-service autonomic testing lab. This specialized service helps determine how well the autonomic nervous system is working, which affects a person’s heart rate, digestion, and other functions. The Sentara Autonomic Lab employs cutting-edge thermoregulatory sweat testing (TST) to help diagnose patients with rare and often overlooked autonomic disorders. TST is just one of seven advanced tests offered by the lab. - [Sentara Adopts New Technology to Enhance Pharmacy Services](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-adopts-new-technology-to-enhance-pharmacy-services/) - Looking for new ways to improve medication access for patients, Sentara partnered with NuScriptRX. NuScriptRX offers a fully automated dispensing system that allows access to prescriptions around the clock, as well as seven-day medication replenishment to ensure timely response to prescription changes. Sentara implemented the service at its long-term care facilities in 2013, seeing a significant reduction in waste and costs. In 2014, Sentara became an investor in NuScriptRX, advocating for the service with other long-term care facilities. - [Sentara Builds an Ambulance Fleet](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-builds-an-ambulance-fleet/) - Sentara first entered the medical transport field in 1990, when it purchased a small company and began building an ambulance fleet. By 2013, Medical Transport had over 120 ambulances serving communities from Hampton Roads to Harrisonburg. A 24-hour dispatch center in Virginia Beach managed the scheduling of ambulance units and crews, many of which were STAT—Specialized Treatment and Transportation—units, qualified to handle the most complex and fragile patients. - [Halifax Regional Health System Joins Sentara](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/halifax-regional-health-system-joins-sentara/) - Halifax Regional Health System in South Boston, Virginia, joined Sentara in 2013 as the company continued to expand its network to new parts of the state. This merger added an 11th acute care hospital, three senior facilities, a medical group, a variety of ambulatory services, and the newly opened Halifax Regional Dental Clinic. Halifax Regional’s board of directors conducted 18 months of research before deciding to affiliate with Sentara, recognizing that Sentara’s resources and expertise would allow Halifax Regional to grow and strengthen the level of healthcare it provides to the community. - [Three Facility Openings](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/three-facility-openings/) - In February 2013, Sentara Hospice House, the first hospice facility in south Hampton Roads, opened at Sentara Village and Sentara Nursing Center in Virginia Beach. To support the construction of this facility, Sentara Health Foundation secured over $300,000 in funding. Within Sentara Obici Hospital, the Specialty Rehabilitation Center opened with eight skilled nursing beds to care for orthopedic patients. Also in 2013, the Sentara Behavioral Health Task Force opened a 24-bed inpatient psychiatric unit at Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital. These facilities further increased Sentara’s capacity to care for the varied healthcare needs of the communities it serves. - [New Services at Sentara Princess Anne Hospital](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/new-services-at-sentara-princess-anne-hospital/) - Sentara Princess Anne Hospital launched two new centers in 2013. Partnering with Eastern Virginia Medical School, Sentara opened the EVMS Comprehensive Pelvic Floor Center, where physicians diagnose and treat pelvic floor disorders and collaborate to pioneer new treatment techniques. Sentara Princess Anne also opened a comprehensive pain management center in 2013, providing patients with access to board-certified pain management specialists. Both centers focus on helping patients heal and enjoy better quality of life. - [Martha Jefferson Hospital’s Women’s Committee](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/martha-jefferson-hospitals-womens-committee/) - The Women’s Committee at Martha Jefferson Hospital was created in 1993 to raise awareness and funds for breast health programs at the hospital. Over the next 20 years, the Women’s Committee raised over $4 million in philanthropic funds to help fight breast cancer and support women’s health in the Charlottesville community. In 2013, the Committee held its 20th annual Martha’s Market sale, with 15 percent of proceeds going to women’s healthcare programs. - [Sentara Foundations Support Community](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-foundations-support-community/) - In 2013, Sentara funded a $300-million community benefit. This money supported several community initiatives, providing $114,000 for renovations to a health center at Young Terrace, a Norfolk public housing community, and $80,000 for asbestos removal. In addition, over 3,000 computers were donated to Tidewater Community College’s Computers for Student Success program, which installed them at Norfolk’s Southside Boys and Girls Club. The individual hospital foundations also raised significant sums for community support in 2013—Sentara Foundation Hampton Roads raised just under $1 million, RMH Foundation raised $2.1 million, and Martha Jefferson Hospital Foundation raised $2.9 million. - [Additions to RMH Medical Center Campus](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/additions-to-rmh-medical-center-campus/) - The RMH Medical Center campus added a new facility and service in 2013. The Sentara RMH Funkhouser Women’s Center opened, consolidating women’s health services into a single, patient-centered structure. In addition, Sentara partnered with James Madison University to launch RMH Voice and Swallowing Services—a clinic offering treatment to patients with voice, speech, and swallowing problems associated with various health conditions. The clinic includes a research component, with team members conducting research and studies on new treatment methods for voice and swallowing problems. - [Sentara Provides $282 Million in Community Benefits](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-provides-282-million-in-community-benefits/) - Building on its history of community service, Sentara provided over $282 million in community benefits in 2012, including investments in medical education at Eastern Virginia Medical School, health screenings for 39,000 people in Hampton Roads, and grants to meet various medical needs of the community. Grant money supported mental health services, dental care, and low-cost pharmaceutical programs for at-risk youth and low-income families. In addition, Sentara provided $258 million in uncompensated care for nearly 300,000 patients. - [Technological Advancements at Two Hospitals](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/technological-advancements-at-two-hospitals/) - 2012 saw multiple significant advancements in technology at Sentara. Sentara Obici Hospital opened the first hyperbaric oxygen chamber in the western Tidewater region. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is used to treat a variety of health problems—from carbon monoxide poisoning to gangrene. Sentara CarePlex Hospital began offering the Virginia Peninsula’s strongest and fastest 3T MRI, which generates a magnetic field twice as strong as a traditional MRI and captures detailed images of blood vessels, joints, and the brain. - [Nursing Centers Recognized for Quality](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/nursing-centers-recognized-for-quality/) - In 2012, Sentara Nursing Centers were recognized for their quality with multiple awards. Sentara Nursing Center Portsmouth and Sentara Windermere in Virginia Beach received a five-star overall ranking in U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best Nursing Homes. The next year, these nursing centers, as well as the Sentara Nursing Center in Barco, North Carolina, again received U.S. News & World Report’s highest possible rating. In addition, Sentara Nursing Center Currituck received a 2012 Silver Achievement in Quality award from the American Healthcare Association and National Center for Assisted Living. - [Sentara Treats Patients from Navy Jet Crash](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-treats-patients-from-navy-jet-crash/) - In 2012, Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital made international headlines when it received seven patients as a result of a Navy fighter jet crash in Virginia Beach. The jet experienced a mechanical malfunction and crashed into an apartment building, injuring the two pilots and several others. Sentara was well prepared to receive these patients, as each hospital drills several times a year to be prepared for disaster incidents. The crash did not result in any fatalities and, within a few days, all patients were released from the hospital in good condition. - [Total Artificial Heart](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/total-artificial-heart/) - In 2012, Physicians at Sentara Heart Hospital began offering the Total Artificial Heart (TAH), for advanced heart failure patients and for patients awaiting a heart transplant. The TAH is the first device of its kind to receive FDA approval. It is a device that is implanted in place of the human heart in order to keep blood pumping through the body. What makes the TAH different from devices that have come before is its ability to literally replace the human heart and its pumping capability. - [Excellence in Cardiac Care](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/excellence-in-cardiac-care/) - In 2012, RMH Healthcare demonstrated continued excellence in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of heart and vascular conditions. That year, RMH Healthcare became the first in Virginia to successfully implant a new type of heart pacing device that helps doctors better treat patients diagnosed with heart failure. In recognition of the hospital’s superior patient outcomes in coronary intervention procedures, HealthGrades awarded RMH Healthcare the 2012 Coronary Intervention Excellence Award. - [Continued Commitment to Quality and Safety](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/continued-commitment-to-quality-and-safety/) - Improving patient safety and quality of care remained core values at Sentara into the 2010s. In 2011, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius visited Sentara Norfolk General Hospital to commend Sentara’s safety efforts and promote the Partnership for Patients program which seeks to improve the quality, safety, and affordability of healthcare. Also in 2011, Sentara and Optima Health received the Case In Point Platinum Award for Mission: Health, an employee wellness program. - [Innovative Surgeries at Sentara Hospitals](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/innovative-surgeries-at-sentara-hospitals/) - The year 2011 saw several firsts for Sentara in the realm of medical innovations. Sentara Norfolk General Hospital performed its first paired kidney exchange, which matches two living donors with two recipients. Sentara Heart Hospital became the first in the nation to enroll patients in the AtriCure DEEP AF Feasibility Trial, designed to evaluate a new procedure for treating patients with persistent atrial fibrillation. In 2012, surgeons at Sentara Heart Hospital performed the world’s first surgeries in the AtriCure trial. - [Sentara Princess Anne Hospital Opens](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-princess-anne-hospital-opens/) - Sentara Princess Anne Hospital opens. The opening of the hospital realized the vision of former Sentara CEO Glenn Mitchell and earlier community leaders, who predicted the need for a hospital in the Princess Anne area. - [Martha Jefferson Hospital Merges with Sentara](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/martha-jefferson-hospital-merges-with-sentara/) - Martha Jefferson Hospital thrived in the early 2000s, receiving $50 million in donations from the community to build a new hospital. Construction on the new building began in 2008 and was completed in 2011. Throughout the construction process, Sentara offered help and advice to Martha Jefferson’s leadership as they sought to create the best patient experience possible. Seeking greater financial security and opportunities to improve services, Martha Jefferson entered talks with Sentara about a partnership. In June 2011, the two institutions formally merged due to their shared culture and values. - [RMH Healthcare Joins the Sentara Network](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/rmh-healthcare-joins-the-sentara-network/) - Efforts to construct a new building for RMH Healthcare, formerly Rockingham Memorial Hospital, began in the early 2000s. Much of the building’s equipment and facilities dated back to the 1950s, and administrators knew an update was needed. Construction on a new 254-acre site began in 2004 and was completed in 2010. The new hospital featured 238 beds and an eco-friendly design, making it the first in Virginia to achieve LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. RMH Healthcare’s leadership decided to merge with Sentara one month after the new hospital opened, recognizing that this partnership would allow the hospital to provide more services and adopt better technology while avoiding the financial burden of remaining independent. The merger became official in 2011. - [Isle of Wight’s New Campus](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/isle-of-wights-new-campus/) - Isle of Wight’s new comprehensive healthcare campus, Sentara St. Luke’s, opens. - [Sentara Expands to Northern Virginia](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-expands-to-northern-virginia/) - In 2006, Potomac Hospital completed construction on its impressive new building. The four-story structure included new inpatient rooms, an updated critical care center, a new cafeteria, and an ocean-themed pediatrics unit. In 2009, Potomac Hospital’s board of directors unanimously decided to merge with Sentara after considering partnerships with over two dozen other organizations. With the addition of Potomac Hospital, Sentara expanded its hospital network outside of Hampton Roads for the first time, marking a milestone in the system’s effort to expand access to healthcare across the state. - [Sentara Begins Offering Nursing Degree](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-begins-offering-nursing-degree/) - By the 2000s, the Sentara School of Health Professions had come a long way since its founding in 1892 as Norfolk’s first nursing school. In 2009, the school received approval from the Virginia Board of Nursing to offer a baccalaureate degree in nursing in addition to its health technician programs. As a result, the school was renamed Sentara College of Health Sciences. The nursing degree program became the first in the region to be directly affiliated with a healthcare system. - [Magnet Designation](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/magnet-designation/) - In 2006, Martha Jefferson Hospital received designation as a Magnet organization by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, becoming the first independent community hospital in Virginia to attain Magnet status. To receive this prestigious designation, hospitals must support innovations in professional nursing and demonstrate excellence in nursing practice and patient care. The rigorous accreditation process, which often takes years to complete, involves filing thousands of pages of documentation, a site visit, team member interviews, and review by a commission. As of 2022, nine Sentara hospitals have attained Magnet status, marking their nursing programs as the highest quality in the nation. - [Three New Facilities Open](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/three-new-facilities-open/) - Three new facilities opened in 2006 as part of Sentara’s building boom in the 2000s. Sentara Princess Anne Health Campus opened in southern Virginia Beach, a 72-acre campus providing diagnostics, cancer treatment, outpatient surgery, laboratory services, and emergency care. Sentara BelleHarbour opened in Suffolk, and Sentara Gloucester Medical Arts opened to serve residents of Gloucester County, both one-stop health campuses with primary care physicians, specialists, and a variety of other services. These outpatient medical centers continued the trend of expanding services beyond the hospitals and to new communities. - [Sentara Heart Hospital Opens](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-heart-hospital-opens/) - Sentara Heart Hospital—the region's only dedicated heart hospital—opens. - [National Recognition for Quality and Safety](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/national-recognition-for-quality-and-safety/) - In the 2000s, Sentara received national recognition for its commitment to patient safety and quality of care. In 2004, Sentara Norfolk General Hospital won the American Hospital Association’s prestigious Quest for Quality Award, given to one hospital system each year for its leadership and innovation in quality improvement and safety. The next year, the National Quality Forum and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations awarded Sentara the John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety & Quality Award. - [First Lady Laura Bush Visits Sentara Norfolk General Hospital](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/first-lady-laura-bush-visits-sentara-norfolk-general-hospital/) - In 2003, First Lady Laura Bush visited Sentara Norfolk General Hospital to discuss The Heart Truth® program, a national initiative to inform women of their risks for heart disease. Mrs. Bush met with Sentara CEO Howard Kern, as well as other Sentara executives, physicians, and staff members, who she commended for their efforts to promote women’s heart health. Addressing hundreds of women at the hospital, she discussed the challenges women face in recognizing heart attack symptoms and managing heart disease. - [The New Louise Obici Memorial Hospital](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/the-new-louise-obici-memorial-hospital/) - Louise Obici Memorial Hospital continued to grow and thrive in the early 2000s, opening a new 365,000-square-foot facility in 2002. Every aspect of the new hospital was designed with patient comfort in mind. The hospital was almost entirely comprised of private rooms with high-tech beds, utilized the latest digital technology, and featured an open, welcoming glass lobby. The high cost of this state-of-the-art facility necessitated that the hospital partner with another organization to remain viable. In 2006, Louise Obici Memorial Hospital officially joined Sentara, becoming Sentara Obici Hospital. - [Sentara Expands to Williamsburg](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-expands-to-williamsburg/) - In 2002, Williamsburg Community Hospital merged with Sentara. The hospital’s leaders knew that joining Sentara’s extensive network would enable them to provide better care at a lower cost. Joining Sentara’s network soon proved to be an advantage for the hospital and the Williamsburg community. In 2006, Sentara was able to build the comprehensive new Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center. The new medical center included over 150 rooms and expanded cardiac and vascular services. - [Providing Care and Education in Hampton](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/providing-care-and-education-in-hampton-2/) - Alice Mabel Bacon moved to Hampton, Virginia, in the late 1880s. Born in New England to a prominent abolitionist family, Bacon began teaching at Hampton Institute, a college for freedmen. When she learned that no formal nursing school existed for Black Americans, Bacon resolved to create one. She opened a hospital and nursing school in an old carpentry shop on the Hampton Institute grounds in June 1891. There, five students and their head nurse tended to patients of the 10-bed hospital. In 1892, the Hampton Training School for Nurses moved to a new site and became known as Dixie Hospital. This hospital would one day become Sentara CarePlex Hospital. - [Founding a “suitable hospital” in Norfolk](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/founding-a-suitable-hospital-in-norfolk/) - In May 1888, the Norfolk Women’s Christian Association (WCA) met to discuss their vision for a new hospital. In an era when less than 200 hospitals existed nationwide, the WCA recognized the need for medical facilities in their growing community. Their goal was to establish a “suitable hospital” to aid the poor, sick, and people with disabilities “without regard to nationality or creed.” By the end of the year, the WCA succeeded in opening the 25-bed “Norfolk Retreat for the Sick,” the forerunner to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. - [Community Donations Improve Martha Jefferson Hospital](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/community-dontaions-improve-martha-jefferson-hosptial/) - In the early 20th century, donations from community members made many improvements at Virginia hospitals possible. For years, Martha Jefferson Hospital had used a horse-drawn wagon as an ambulance. In 1931, wealthy patron James Patterson donated a Cadillac to the hospital, which was converted into a new ambulance. The cost for an ambulance call was just $3.00 within Charlottesville city limits. In 1928, Mr. Patterson and his wife donated $100,000 for a new, larger hospital building, enabling Martha Jefferson to serve more of the community. - [Advancements at Dixie Hospital](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/advancements-at-dixie-hosiptal/) - Despite several additions, Dixie Hospital outgrew its small building by the early 1900s. In 1913, a new Dixie Hospital facility opened on East Queen Street in Hampton. The building cost $70,000 to complete, with members of the community donating much of the funds. The new hospital could house 60 patients and possessed the most advanced diagnostic and technological capabilities of the time, including pathology, pharmacy, and X-ray departments, a well-equipped operating room, and a sterilizing room for doctors and nurses. - [A Hospital for Rockingham County](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/a-hostpital-for-rockingham-county/) - Rockingham County, nestled deep in the Shenandoah Valley, met with a growing need for a hospital in the early 1900s. When Harrisonburg resident William Glodomore Leake, a successful wood, coal, and lumberyard operator, injured his foot, he was forced to make an arduous journey across the Blue Ridge Mountains to Charlottesville where the nearest medical facilities were located. By the time he arrived, Leake’s wound had grown infected. Doctors informed him that even an amputation may not be enough to save his life. Leake opted to return to Harrisonburg on his injured leg, determined to ensure that no Rockingham County resident would have to share his fate. In his will, Leake left most of his estate for the establishment of a hospital in Harrisonburg. In 1912, four years after Leake died, Rockingham Memorial Hospital and School of Nursing opened. - [America’s First IVF Baby is Delivered at Norfolk General](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/americas-first-ivf-baby-is-delivered-at-norfolk-general/) - Norfolk General Hospital made headlines worldwide when the nation’s first IVF baby was born there in 1981. After 40 years of fertility research at Johns Hopkins University, doctors Howard and Georgeanna Jones relocated to Hampton Roads. They opened the Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine at the Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk in 1980. That year, the Joneses had 30 patients and experienced 30 failures. They eventually obtained a successful pregnancy in the spring of 1981. On December 28, 1981, Elizabeth Carr was delivered at Norfolk General, the first of over one million babies to be born in the United States through assisted reproductive technologies. - [Leigh Memorial Offers Innovative New Nursing Program](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/leigh-memorial-offers-innovative-new-nursing-program/) - In 1946, the School of Practical Nursing opened at Leigh Memorial Hospital, becoming the first nursing program in the country to be completed entirely in a hospital and co-sponsored by a vocational education program. The one-year course offered students the opportunity to work alongside registered nurses at Leigh Memorial and become licensed practical nurses themselves. The program was sponsored by Norfolk Public Schools and financed by Leigh Memorial and the Virginia Department of Education. - [A New Hospital for Charlottesville](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/a-new-hospital-for-charlottesville/) - By the turn of the century, the number of local hospitals began to skyrocket across the country. Physicians in Charlottesville, Virginia, felt that their community deserved a hospital that could accommodate the growing number of residents of moderate means. In 1903, seven local physicians created the Martha Jefferson Sanatorium Association, named for Thomas Jefferson’s daughter, to organize a new hospital for Charlottesville residents. The newly constructed 25-bed hospital opened the next year. - [Sarah Leigh Hospital Opens](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sarah-leigh-hospital-opens/) - Dr. Southgate Leigh rose to prominence as a Norfolk physician in the 1890s. Trained at Columbia University, Dr. Leigh established a surgical and gynecological practice and operated on patients at Norfolk Protestant Hospital. Dr. Leigh recognized the need for an additional hospital to meet the growing community’s needs, opening a new hospital overlooking the Hague River in 1903. Sarah Leigh Hospital, named for the aunt who raised him, featured a unique design including abundant natural light, rounded rooms for easier cleaning, and an electric fan that circulated cool air through the building. This uniquely modern hospital was renamed Leigh Memorial Hospital in 1936. - [Norfolk’s First Nursing School](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/providing-care-and-education-in-hampton/) - By the 1890s, more caregivers were needed at the growing Norfolk Retreat for the Sick. Hattie Everingham, the superintendent, opened a two-year training school for nurses at the Retreat in 1892. The program accepted women aged 18 or older with a grammar school education, providing local young women with a new professional opportunity. Tuition was free, and students even received a monthly stipend to buy books and other supplies. - [The Retreat for the Sick Becomes Norfolk Protestant Hospital](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/the-retreat-for-the-sick-becomes-norfolk-protestant-hospital/) - The 1890s ushered in change and growth at the Retreat for the Sick. In 1896, the hospital moved to a new, larger location in Norfolk. Then, in 1898, the directors renamed their facility the Norfolk Protestant Hospital and amended the hospital’s charter to reflect its growth. The new charter created an all-female board of managers and authorized the issue of stock to fund continued growth. With a new location, name, and vision, Norfolk Protestant Hospital entered the 20th century with a bright future. - [Fire at Norfolk Protestant Hospital](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/fire-at-norfolk-protestant-hospital/) - In 1903, Norfolk Protestant Hospital expanded yet again, moving to a new location on Raleigh Avenue. Just three years later, a fire swept through the building, severely damaging its main section. Firemen and local citizens were quick to act, rushing to the site to help nurses evacuate over 60 patients. Their collective efforts and quick thinking ensured that no lives were lost in the fire. The community started a fund to rebuild the hospital the very same night. The seeming disaster of the fire provided an opportunity for Norfolk Protestant to improve—by 1910, the structure had been rebuilt and a new wing was added, increasing the hospital’s capacity for charity care. - [A Modern Medical Facility](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/a-modern-medical-facility/) - Norfolk Protestant Hospital experienced rapid growth in the late 1920s—much of it due to the leadership of local businessman David Pender, who became president of the board of directors in 1926. Pender raised $300,000 for updates to the hospital, including new equipment, a renovated operating room, and ducts for air conditioning. The hospital also added diagnostic laboratories, a full-time radiologist and pathologist, and adopted the concept of departmentalization—enabling the physicians on staff to focus on their specialties rather than providing all aspects of care. By the end of the decade, Norfolk Protestant had transformed into a modern medical facility. - [Charity Care and Expansion at Norfolk General](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/charity-care-and-expansion-at-norfolk-general/) - Through the 1950s, Norfolk General Hospital continued to operate as a charity organization. The hospital provided care regardless of a patient’s ability to pay—taking in over 50 percent of Norfolk’s indigent patients. To keep up with the costs of charity care and pay for a much-needed expansion, the board of directors launched ambitious fundraising projects. By 1957, the board had raised several million dollars for a new wing, which opened one year later. The nine-story wing increased Norfolk General Hospital’s capacity to 475 beds, with full floors devoted to surgery, laboratory research, and X-ray imaging. - [Community Effort Creates Potomac Hospital](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/community-effort-creates-potomac-hospital/) - Despite the rapid expansion in hospital facilities during the first half of the 20th century, no civilian hospital existed between Alexandria and Fredericksburg, Virginia. To address this, the Potomac Hospital Corporation formed in 1968. Membership quickly grew to over 3,000 people, who raised $2 million for a hospital for their area. Potomac Hospital opened in Woodbridge in 1972, the last hospital in Virginia to be started by a grassroots community effort. It would later become Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center. - [Advancements and Specialized Care at Norfolk General Hospital](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/advancements-and-specialized-care-at-norfolk-general-hospital/) - By 1979, Norfolk General Hospital had emerged as the region’s tertiary care center—an industry designation for hospitals with the most sophisticated services. The 1970s were a time of rapid advancement for Norfolk General. The hospital purchased laser instruments for eye surgery, a new brain scanner, and opened the region’s first eye bank and radiation oncology center. The Emergency Department doubled in size. The kidney transplant program continued to grow, making headlines when the hospital flew the kidney of a Norfolk man to Belgium, the first time a Tidewater hospital had sent a kidney across the Atlantic. - [New Services at Medical Center Hospitals](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/new-services-at-medical-center-hospitals/) - Medical Center Hospitals continued to expand their services in the early 1980s. Nightingale air ambulance service became operational in February 1982, becoming the first hospital-based air ambulance in Virginia. The Nightingale helicopter served a 125-mile radius around Norfolk General Hospital, dramatically increasing the chances of rescuing critically injured patients in time to save them. In addition, nursing homes, urgent care centers, and home healthcare programs also became part of Medical Center Hospitals. - [Optima Health Plan](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/optima-health-plan/) - Alliance Health System continued to diversify its offerings in 1984, establishing Optima Health Plan—the area’s first locally owned, not-for-profit Health Maintenance Organization (HMO). Offering its own health insurance plan allowed Alliance Health System to reduce costs, have greater influence over quality of care, and further its mission of serving the total health needs of the community. By 1987, the plan had over 22,000 subscribers and a network of 700 physicians. Additional HMO plans were introduced in the 1990s, including Optima Family Care Medicaid in 1994. In 1997, Optima Health, now with 300,000 members, received accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance. The next year, Optima received the C. Everett Koop Award, which recognizes outstanding worksite health promotion and improvement programs. - [Sentara Expands Its Hospital Network](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-expands-its-hospital-network/) - Sentara’s leaders recognized that for the organization to continue to thrive and further its mission, it needed to continue growing. The merger between Leigh Memorial and Norfolk General in the 1970s had proved to be a catalyst for growth. Sentara pursued opportunities to affiliate with hospitals in the Virginia Peninsula to continue that growth in the 1980s and 1990s. Sentara affiliated with Hampton General Hospital in 1987, and with Williamsburg Community Hospital in 1996. Sentara purchased Bayside Hospital in Virginia Beach in 1991. Through these acquisitions and affiliations, Sentara furthered its mission of improving access to healthcare across the state. - [Sentara performs First Heart Transplant Surgery](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-performs-first-heart-transplant-surgery/) - Sentara performs Hampton Roads' first heart transplant surgery at Norfolk General Hospital. - [Continued Growth in Outpatient Care](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/continued-growth-in-outpatient-care/) - In 1995, Sentara opened CarePlex Outpatient Center in Hampton. The new, state-of-the-art facility featured 24-hour emergency services, a surgical center, diagnostics, physical therapy, and cardiac rehabilitation. The Center was designed as a full-service facility, making care more efficient by requiring fewer moves for patients. New equipment included laptop computers for registering patients and cell phones for contacting doctors and nurses. Sentara CarePlex replaced the Hampton Out Patient Emergency (HOPE) Center, which continued to provide dialysis services. Sentara offered the rest of the HOPE Center rent-free to the Hampton Health Department. - [Sentara Medical Group](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentara-medical-group/) - In 1995, 63 physicians joined Sentara to create the Sentara Medical Group (SMG). Sentara took over many of the physicians’ administrative and financial duties, allowing them to focus more of their time on patient care. SMG has continued to expand since it was formed—now comprised of over 1,300 providers, the medical group averages 2.8 million patient visits every year. Participating providers include family medicine, internal medicine, and pediatric physicians, as well as specialists in cardiology, surgery, neurology, endocrinology, rheumatology, and more. - [Sentara’s New Name and Logo Reflect Company Values](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history/sentaras-new-name-and-logo-reflect-company-values/) - Following the merger with Tidewater Health Care, Sentara adopted a new name and logo. “Sentara Health System” changed to “Sentara Healthcare,” a name that better reflected the company’s mission and focus on patient care. The new, gold-colored logo symbolized the company’s goal of providing patients with the best possible care. These two changes signified Sentara’s continued commitment to providing the highest level of care. ## Categories - [Providing Care to New Communities](https://sentarahistory.com/category/providing-care-to-new-communities/) ## Tags - [Growth](https://sentarahistory.com/tag/growth/) - [Community Impact](https://sentarahistory.com/tag/community-impact/) ## Sentara History Snippets categories - [Providing Care to New Communities](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history_category/providing-care-to-new-communities/) - [Broadening Scope and Reach](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history_category/broadening-scope-and-reach/) - [Striving for Excellence](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history_category/striving-for-excellence/) - [Looking Ahead](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history_category/looking-ahead/) - [video-nightingdale](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history_category/video-nightingdale/) - [video-ICUcare](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history_category/video-icucare/) - [video-tophealth](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history_category/video-tophealth/) - [video-125years](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history_category/video-125years/) - [video-covidvaccine](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history_category/video-covidvaccine/) - [video-dennismatheis](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history_category/video-dennismatheis/) - [video-communitycare](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history_category/video-communitycare/) - [video-mostwired](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history_category/video-mostwired/) - [video-employerchoice](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history_category/video-employerchoice/) - [video-reachingpatients](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history_category/video-reachingpatients/) - [video-systemwideinnovations](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history_category/video-systemwideinnovations/) - [video-davidbern](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history_category/video-davidbern/) - [video-newroles-healthequity](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history_category/video-newroles-healthequity/) - [video-ongoingpandemic](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history_category/video-ongoingpandemic/) ## Sentara History Snippets tags - [Growth](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history_tag/growth/) - [Community Impact](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history_tag/community-impact/) - [Safety and Innovation](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history_tag/safety-and-innovation/) - [Awards and Recognition](https://sentarahistory.com/sentara_history_tag/awards-and-recognition/) ## Time Period - [1880-1959](https://sentarahistory.com/time_period/1880-1959/) - [1960-1999](https://sentarahistory.com/time_period/1960-1999/) - [2000-2019](https://sentarahistory.com/time_period/2000-2019/) - [2020s and Beyond](https://sentarahistory.com/time_period/2020s/)