Governor Kaine Announces Public-Private Partnership to Improve Health of State Workforce
The COVA Connect pilot project serves state employees and families in Hampton Roads.
Read more
Sentara Opens New Advanced Imaging Center in Historic Williamsburg
The Advanced Imaging Center - Williamsburg combines advanced technology, specially trained staff and physicians, and convenience to offer patients quality care in a unique outpatient setting.
Read more
COBRA Stimulus Update
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) provides for premium reductions and additional election opportunities for health benefits under COBRA.
Read more
Sentara and Optima Support JT Walk for ALS and Grommet Island Park
The JT Walk will be held on Sunday, October 4 to raise funds in support of ALS research and the construction of Grommet Island Park.
Read more
Sentara Opens Grassfield Therapy Center Expands Sentara Rehab Network
Sentara opens its newest therapy center in Chesapeake, expanding the Sentara Rehabilitation Network.
Read more
Sentara CarePlex Hospital Discontinued Labor and Delivery Services on Friday, April 3, 2009
Sentara CarePlex Hospital closed its 12-bed labor and delivery unit and nursery on Friday, April 3, 2009.
Read more
Sentara eCare® Launched at System’s Largest Hospital
Data from previous conversions shows implementation has a major impact on patient care.
Read more
Bon Secours Virginia, Sentara Healthcare to Collaborate on Princess Anne Hospital
Proposed 200-bed joint venture would serve current and future community needs.
Read more
Optima Health No Longer Requires Referrals
Effective January 1, 2009, referrals to see a participating specialist are no longer required for all commercial plans.
Read more
Sentara System Named Employer of Choice®
Sentara was honored as an Employer of Choice® for its dedication to employee relationships that go above and beyond typical human resource practices.
Read more
Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center Receives Award for Green Practices
Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center was presented with a “Partner Recognition Award” at the 2008 Practice Greenhealth Environmental Excellence Awards Banquet.
Read more
New Lead Letter Initiative
Have you noticed new letters from Optima Health about providing blood lead level testing to your Optima Family Care (Medicaid) patients at 12 mo and 24 mo of age?
Read more
New Member ID Cards
As of July 1, 2008 Optima Health began to issue new member identification cards based on the member’s renewal date.
Read more
Practitioner Satisfaction Survey Results
The results of the 2007 Practitioner Satisfaction Survey showed significant changes when compared to the 2006 survey.
Read more
New Well Child Forms Available
Optima Health has developed new Well Child and Adolescent Well Child forms.
Read more
Sentara Norfolk General Hospital Recognized for Excellence in Nursing and Teamwork
Sentara Norfolk General Hospital has achieved Magnet designation in recognition of excellence in nursing and teamwork.
Read more
Optima Health Maintains 'Excellent' Accreditation on its Health Plan Report Card for 9th and 10th Consecutive Year
Optima Health received an ‘Excellent’ accreditation for the 10th consecutive year from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) for its commercial health plans and 9th consecutive year for its Medicaid HMO product, Optima Family Care.
Read more
Optima Health Family Care Wins Award for Community Leadership
Optima Health’s Family Care Program was awarded the 2008 Community Leadership Award from America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) for its Girls Community Basketball Program. The awards recognize excellence in community outreach.
Read more
New Product Names
As part of our commitment to be “Easy to Do Business With” we have changed our product names to make them easier to understand.
Read more
Construction Begins on Sentara Princess Anne Hospital
Sentara Princess Anne Hospital will be a 5-story, 120-bed acute care hospital to be located on the Sentara Princess Anne health campus. This state-of-the-art hospital represents the culmination of more than 20 years of planning.
Read more
Blood Pressure Training
A self-study toolkit for healthcare professionals to update their blood pressure measurement skills and their knowledge regarding current guidelines for the detection and evaluation of hypertension is available at no charge by calling 1-800-SENTARA.
Read more
Optima Family Care/FAMIS Goes Referral-less
Effective for services rendered on or after October 1, 2007 the referral process will be discontinued for all Optima Family Care/FAMIS members throughout all service areas in Virginia.
Read more
Sentara Unveils New Cardiovascular Institute
Sentara Healthcare announces the formation of a new research institute dedicated to halting the number one killer of men and women, cardiovascular disease.
Read more
Antidepressant Rates--A Call to Action
Antidepressant compliance rates of Optima Health members are well below the national averages, as are rates for the entire South Atlantic area.
Read more
Get Your Paper Remits Online!
Would you like to receive your paper remits electronically?
If so, Provider Connection's View Remits and Pend Reports is for you!
Read more
Optima ‘Life Coach’ Diabetes Program Wins National Award
Disease Management Association cites improved patient compliance, health
Read more
Optima Health Named Virginia's Top Health Plan for Customer Service
Optima Health has recently been named the 2006/2007 Customer Care Award winner for the state of Virginia.
Read more
Sentara Healthcare 5th Most Integrated Network
Verispan recently ranked Sentara Healthcare for the tenth consecutive year in a row as a Top 100 Integrated Healthcare Network (IHN).
Read more
Optima Health Ranked Among Top 50 Health Plans By U.S. News & World Report
Optima Health is ranked 50th among the nation’s health plans in the second annual survey by U.S. News & World Report and NCQA, the National Committee for Quality Assurance.
Read more
Optima Health Web Site Receives URAC Accreditation
Optima Health announced today that it has been awarded URAC Health Web Site accreditation from the American Accreditation Healthcare Commission, a Washington, DC-based healthcare accrediting organization that establishes quality standards for the healthcare industry.
Read more
Sentara Princess Anne, Comprehensive Health Campus
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.
Read more
Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center Opens Thursday, August 17
The new regional medical center offers increased privacy and patient-centered care with larger all private rooms, expanded Emergency, Surgery and Maternity Departments; and advanced diagnostic imaging capabilities.
Read more
Sentara Bayside Hospital Kicks Off Program Aimed at “Building a Better Environment for Safety”
Virginia Beach Vice Mayor Louis R. Jones joined Sentara Bayside Hospital Administrator Larry DePriest and the Bayside leadership team for the kickoff of a new internal program aimed at keeping employees engaged in patient safety efforts at the hospital.
Read more
Expansion at Sentara Port Warwick Now Open
Sentara Port Warwick II—the 2nd phase of Sentara’s outpatient campus off Jefferson Avenue—opened Monday, June 26 with a brand new ambulatory surgery center.
Read more
Optima Health Plans Rank in Top 100 in First U.S. News & World Report Survey
In its first national ranking of health plans, U.S. News & 30 Medicaid managed care programs. Optima Health plans rank in top 100.
Read more
Sentara Health Campus Opens Summer 2006
Private and Sentara physicians are among the dozens of doctors committing to office space at Sentara Princess Anne, the 72-acre comprehensive health campus at the intersection of Princess Anne and Dam Neck Roads.
Read more
Sentara CarePlex Hospital Opens Second Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory
Two fully operational labs offer lifesaving heart treatment to area residents.
Read more
Sentara Heart Hospital
Construction is complete and the doors opened on the region’s only dedicated heart hospital, Sentara Heart Hospital on Saturday, February 25, 2006.
Read more
Obici Hospital Merger With Sentara Healthcare Receives Regulatory Clearance
Obici Health System in Suffolk and Norfolk-based Sentara Healthcare have received clearance from federal and state regulatory bodies and anticipate that their planned merger will become effective April 1, 2006.
Read more
Three Sentara Hospitals Win Awards For Heart Attack Treatment, Surgical Site Infection Prevention
Three Sentara hospitals have received Leadership Awards for Clinical Excellence from VHA.
Read more
Automatic Processing of Miscellaneous Drugs
Beginning April 1, 2006 Optima Health will begin automatic processing of miscellaneous drugs administered in the office (other than oral methods).
Read more
Provider Connection Has A New Look and Feel
Providers who use Provider Connection to conduct health plan transactions with Optima Health will notice a new look and feel.
Read more
Optima Health Drug List Available Through Epocrates
Optima Health Providers Now Have Hand-held Access to Optima Health's Preferred and Standard Drug List through Epocrates® References. View Optima Health's Preferred and Standard Drug List while at the point of care through Epocrates Rx®.
Read more
Optima Health Plans Wins A+ from Weiss Ratings Agency
Optima Health Plan joins an elite group of 12 health plans in the nation to earn an A+ rating from the prestigious Weiss ratings agency.
Data from the 4th quarter of 2004 resulted in the only A+ rating among health plans in Virginia.
Read more
Signing In to Optimahealth.com? Check Your Password.
Passwords for optimahealth.com are now case sensitive.
Read more
Obici Health System and Sentara Healthcare
Obici Health System of Suffolk and Norfolk-based Sentara Healthcare have agreed to a merger. The boards of directors of both organizations have signed a letter of intent.
Read more
Sentara Named One of the Most Wired Health Care Systems Across the Nation
For the sixth consecutive year, Sentara Healthcare has been named one of the 100 Most Wired Health Systems in the nation.
Read more
Sentara Healthcare Receives John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Award
Sentara’s Culture of Safety initiative has been awarded the 2005 John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality award from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and the National Quality Forum.
Read more
Sentara Receives State Approval for Outpatient Surgery Center
Today Sentara Healthcare received approval from the state health commissioner to build a state-of-the-art, outpatient surgery center at Sentara Princess Anne Health Campus.
Read more
Princess Anne Health Campus
Construction begins on one of the area’s most comprehensive and futuristic health complexes—Sentara Princess Anne Health Campus-scheduled to open in mid-2006.
Read more
Sentara and CHKD Assemble Katrina Relief Team
At the request of the Department of Health and Human Services, Sentara Healthcare and Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters have assembled a 110-person medical team for Katrina Hurricane Relief.
Read more
Important Billing Reminder
When submitting claims for reconsideration, please mark field 19 of the CMS-1500 claim form or the remarks field of the UB-92 claim form with the word "Reconsideration."
Read more
Sentara Hospitals Receive VHA Leadership Awards for Clinical Excellence
Three Sentara hospitals were chosen from among hospitals nationwide to receive the 2005 VHA Leadership Award for Clinical Excellence.
Read more
Optima Family Care Wins Health Award
Virginia’s largest Medicaid HMO, Optima Family Care, has won a community service award from the Urban League of Hampton Roads for a girls basketball program that goes far beyond sports.
Read more
Optima Health Wins First U.S. EPA Award For Asthma Management
Optima Health has received a first-ever award for asthma management from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Read more
Sentara No. 3 in Nation Among Top 100 Healthcare Networks
Sentara Healthcare is listed third in the nation among large health care networks in the latest national rankings from Verispan, published in Modern Healthcare magazine.
Read more
Vioxx® Removed From Market
Merck Announces Voluntary Worldwide Withdrawal of VIOXX®
Read more
Sentara Chief Medical Officer Receives National Award
Gary R. Yates, M.D., Chief Medical Officer for Sentara Healthcare, has been selected to receive the 2005 Physician Executive Award of Excellence, co-sponsored by Modern Physician magazine and the American College of Physician Executives.
Read more
Optima ‘Partners in Pregnancy’ Program Wins National Award
Optima Health’s three-year-old program to improve prenatal care for women on Medicaid has won a national award from the Disease Management Association of America (DMAA).
Read more
National 'Quest for Quality' Prize Awarded to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital
There are few peer awards more prestigious for a hospital to win than the Quest for Quality prize by the American Hospital Association. This year, that national recognition goes to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.
Read more
Sentara Begins Campaign to Urge Colorectal Screenings
“Death rates from colon cancer in Hampton Roads are higher than the national average,” says George Heuser, MD, a Medical Director for Sentara Health Management. “The irony is, it’s one of the most preventable and treatable cancers, if we catch it early.”
Read more
Heart Service at Sentara Norfolk General Ranked Among Top 50 Heart Hospitals
Heart Services at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital
Among Top 50 in U.S. News & World Report
Mortality ratios superior to four of the five top-ranked programs in nation
Read more