—Opens to Patients September 18, 2006—
September 13, 2006– Virginia Beach, Virginia. In response to staggering growth and demand for health care services in southern Virginia Beach, Sentara is opening a comprehensive health campus with the Southside’s first free-standing emergency center.
Sentara Princess Anne, a 72-acre health campus, opens September 18 at 7 a.m. at the intersection of Princess Anne Road and Concert Drive with emergency care, advanced imaging services, full service pharmacy, and laboratory, followed later this fall by numerous physician offices, a comprehensive cancer center, ambulatory surgery center, women’s services, and physical therapy.
“I know personally how important it is to have quality health care nearby when you need it, says John Malbon, vice chairman of Sentara’s board of directors and life-long Virginia Beach resident. “I’m delighted to have Sentara, a quality leader, standing behind every service offered at Sentara Princess Anne.”
Topping the list among for the community is emergency care closer to more than 250,000 residents expected to live nearby within the next two years. The 24-hour emergency center without inpatient beds accepts ambulances and walk-in patients beginning September 18 at 7 a.m. A full line of imaging equipment such as mammography, bone densitometry, ultrasound, X-ray, and CT and MRI scanners, as well as a full laboratory offer patients testing for emergency care.
“An emergency center apart from a hospital means residents can quickly access emergency care when time is of the essence,” says Stephen Porter, Vice President, Sentara Princess Anne. “This center, staffed by board certified emergency physicians, is backed by Sentara’s full expertise.”
While plans for the campus ultimately include a future hospital, this 72-acre campus has been expertly designed for maximum outpatient convenience. Buildings and services are positioned for easy access, wide pedestrian walkways link health services, and features such as a retail pharmacy mean one less stop for families seeking medical care on the campus.
Entire families will be served by the variety and number of physicians expected to open offices in the first two buildings. Much of the office space is already spoken for by physicians specializing in pediatrics, cancer treatment, ear, nose and throat conditions; allergies, orthopedics, primary care, and obstetrics and gynecology. Among the first physician practices opening this fall are Atlantic Orthopaedic Specialists, Complete Women's Care, Virginia Oncology Associates, Orthopaedic Associates of Virginia, Princess Anne ENT & Allergy, and Princess Anne Family Medicine.
“Sentara Princess Anne will become the center for health care services in that part of the city. Now that it’s open, everything will happen there,” says Dr. Craig Ruetzel, OB/GYN with Complete Women’s Care. “We wanted to be where our patients could get everything from a mammography and lab work to outpatient surgery,” he continued.
With the addition of health care services where few exist today, Sentara is creating about 125 jobs in Virginia Beach. Positions for emergency room nurses, radiology technicians, laboratory technicians, pharmacy technicians, and administrative support staff are currently being filled at the campus.
Community Day: Saturday, October 14, 2006, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
The community is invited to a special event celebrating the opening of Sentara Princess Anne. Something for everyone—from tours to get to know the campus and time with on-campus physicians to free health screenings and entertainment—will make for a fun filled day.
Optima Health is a service of Sentara.
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