Sentara to Open Virginia’s First Outpatient Cardiac Surgery Center in December 2024

In a significant expansion of its healthcare services, Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center is set to open a state-of-the-art Cardiovascular Ambulatory Surgery Center, slated to begin operations in December 2024.

This center will be the first in Virginia and will focus on outpatient cardiac procedures. This move reflects the shifting trends toward ambulatory (outpatient) care settings in the medical field.

Enhancing Cardiac Care with Advanced Facilities

According to Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center President Jeff Joyner, the decision to establish the Cardiovascular Ambulatory Surgery Center stems from a growing need for specialized outpatient cardiac services in the region. Once fully operational, the center will partner with local cardiologists and is designed to serve 800 to 1,600 patients annually. The initiative aims to provide top-notch cardiac care and ensures that treatments are more affordable and accessible to the community.

The new center will be four miles from the main campus of the Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center, located at 2300 Opitz Boulevard in Woodbridge. This proximity is expected to significantly ease patients’ access, reducing the need for travel and thereby minimizing the stress associated with receiving medical care.

New Residency Program to Address Healthcare Workforce Shortages

This development is part of Sentara’s broader strategy to address the healthcare needs of Northern Virginia, a region that presents unique demographic and medical challenges. The center is one aspect of Sentara’s $350 million investment over the next decade, including initiatives like creating a medical residency program to retain local medical talent, which will begin in 2026.

“Virginia is a net exporter of medical talent,” Joyner explained. “We lose many bright students to other states because they lack opportunities here. Our goal is to provide them a pathway to return and serve the very community they grew up in.”

The new program addresses specific gaps in hospitalist medicine, emergency medicine, and general surgery—which are notably underserved in Northern Virginia.

The residency program’s establishment aligns with Sentara’s ongoing efforts to enhance local healthcare services. This includes a recent $1 million upgrade to the emergency department at the Woodbridge facility, which aims to increase trauma care capacity and ensure patient safety with advanced security systems.