Join


In a recent Potomac Local News poll, Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center emerged as the overwhelming favorite among local residents for hospital recommendations to friends and family. The poll, which sought to gauge public opinion on the preferred medical facilities in the region, saw an impressive 369 votes (86.01%) in favor of Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center.

The poll results underscore the community’s strong preference for Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center, which has established itself as a leading healthcare provider in the area. With a reputation for high-quality medical care, advanced technology, and patient-centered services, it’s clear why so many locals trust this institution with their health needs.

Coming in a distant second, Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center received 24 votes (5.59%). While this facility is recognized for its comprehensive services and modern amenities, it has less of a footprint in the local community compared to Sentara.

Stafford Hospital garnered 14 votes (3.26%), indicating a modest level of community endorsement. Known for its commitment to patient care and community health, Stafford Hospital continues to dedicate itself to serving its local population, albeit with a smaller share of the community’s recommendations.

UVA Prince William Medical Center and Mary Washington Hospital followed with 11 votes (2.56%) and 7 votes (1.63%), respectively. Both institutions are well-regarded in their own right, with strong healthcare programs and a range of services, but they did not capture a significant portion of the poll votes.

UVA Haymarket Medical Center received 4 votes (0.93%), reflecting a minimal but notable presence in the local healthcare landscape.

The results of this poll highlight the community’s overwhelming confidence in Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center as the go-to hospital for their healthcare needs. As healthcare choices remain a crucial aspect of community well-being, the preference for Sentara underscores its vital role in the region’s healthcare ecosystem.

As always, Potomac Local News is committed to bringing you the latest insights and updates on local healthcare and other important community issues. Thank you to all who participated in the poll.

0 Comments
Members of Woodbridge Woman’s Club donate handmade heart pillows to Sentara Cancer Network Resource Center. (L to R): WWC members Donna Meyer, Phyllis Zimmerman, Mary Ann Nolton, Lucy Williams, and Sentara Cancer Nurse Navigator Heather Byrne.
Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center press release: Dedicated volunteers from the Woodbridge Woman’s Club (WWC) gather twice a month at the Sentara Cancer Network Resource Center on the campus of Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center (SNVMC) to put their sewing talents to work creating heart-shaped pillows and other comfort items. Crafted by hand and made with love, these pillows are given free of charge to Sentara cancer and surgery patients. The Health and Wellness Pillow Making Project began as a volunteer-driven, community service project to help support individuals facing cancer diagnoses. People find relief from acute pain by holding the pillows to their chests. Just as importantly, they find reassurance in knowing that people care. “The specific shape of these pillows is designed to be not only comfortable but a visible reminder of the love and support going out to people who are dealing with a cancer or other serious medical diagnosis,” said Sentara Cancer Navigator Heather Byrne. “Every person who receives one of these beautiful pillows is touched to know its origin.”

WWC member Phyllis Zimmerman launched the project nine years ago and continues to sew to this day.  The tally of heart pillows created last year was 170 and the dedicated WWC craftswomen estimate that well over 1,000 pillows have been created since they began the project.

“Nine years ago, I was the chairperson of what was called the Home Life section of the Woodbridge Woman's Club. Our club president at the time asked me to find a project that would be of value in the community. I discovered these pillows that I thought we could make. They are helpful to women with breast cancer because the long ties on the pillow allow you to easily carry it with you, and by adjusting the ties, you can position it under your arm to bring relief where you might be feeling very tender,” explained Zimmerman.

While the pillows were originally made for those with breast cancer, now they are gifted to people coping with various forms of cancer, to radiology patients, and most recently to heart patients receiving care at SNVMC.

This article is FREE to read. Please Sign In or Create a FREE Account. Thank you.

0 Comments

As the Veterans Affairs Clinic enters the final year of construction, there are several transportation improvements north of Exit 126 in Fredericksburg to improve access to this needed facility for area veterans.

This May, the ribbon will be cut on one of those improvements: the Route 17 bridge over Interstate 95 at Mills Drive, just south of the clinic. The $23.5 million project includes a four-lane bridge with pedestrian accommodations. The old bridge was "structurally deficient," VDOT said.

This article is FREE to read. Please Sign In or Create a FREE Account. Thank you.

0 Comments

Fredericksburg Continuum of Care: On January 22, 2024 the Fredericksburg Regional Continuum of Care (CoC) received funding in the amount of $21,000 to support the Community Based Eligibility Worker Program to provide outreach to individuals and families experiencing homeless to access Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) more easily.

hoThe CoC is the federally mandated coalition responsible for planning and implementing homeless services throughout Planning District 16, including the Counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania, and Stafford, and the City of Fredericksburg.

This article is FREE to read. Please Sign In or Create a FREE Account. Thank you.

0 Comments

Photo credit: Mary Washington Healthcare on Facebook

Mary Washington Healthcare: Mary Washington Healthcare (MWHC) is proud to announce the three-year re-accreditation of Mary Washington Hospital’s Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Department by the American College of Radiology (ACR).

Accreditation was received in all available modules which includes body, cardiac, head, spine, musculoskeletal, and MR Angiography. There were no recommendations for improvement.

This article is FREE to read. Please Sign In or Create a FREE Account. Thank you.

0 Comments
Photo: Dr. Shapiro and her husband at left, with leaders from SNVMC at the awards banquet.

Sentara Health: Carol Shapiro, MD, MBA, FACS, physician and director of Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center’s Wound Healing Center, was honored with the 2024 Charles J. Colgan Visionary Award from the Prince William Chamber of Commerce on February 23 during the chamber’s annual awards banquet.

The award, named in memory of longtime state Senator Charles J. Colgan, celebrates individuals who have made significant contributions throughout their lives in service to the business community in Prince William County.

With more than 50 years of service in Prince William County, Dr. Shapiro was an original member of the medical staff at Potomac Hospital – now known as Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center (SNVMC). She went on to become the first elected female president of the hospital’s medical staff as well as president at Prince William Hospital.

Dr. Shapiro is a board-certified plastic surgeon who established her practice in Woodbridge and Manassas in 1972 following her training at Georgetown University. Recognizing the opportunity to build a practice in a community that had previously lacked necessary medical services, Dr. Shapiro played an integral role in the development of the healthcare community in Prince William County.

As director of the outpatient Wound Healing Center at SNVMC, she championed the introduction of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) services in eastern Prince William County five years ago.

Dr. Shapiro was integral in establishing the gang tattoo removal clinic in Prince William County, generously donating her time and expertise. Her commitment to her profession has included leadership roles with the Prince William Medical Society, the Medical Society of Virginia – where she served as the first woman president – and the American Medical Association, serving as chair of the Virginia delegation from 2007 to 2016.

If you rely on us for local news and haven’t already, please support us by becoming a member!

0 Comments

UVA Health Prince William Medical Center in Manassas, home of the county’s only NICU, is now participating in UVA Health’s telemedicine program with UVA Health Children’s Hospital in Charlottesville.

Dr. Karen Fairchild, a neonatologist at UVA Children’s, highlighted the advantages of technology in overcoming the two-hour geographic gap between the two hospitals. Instead of introducing and discussing complex medical cases over the phone, providers can access medical reports online instantly and use video calls to explore treatment further, Fairchild said during an online press conference on Friday, March 1, 2024.

This article requires a paid Locals Only Membership to read. Please Sign In or Upgrade to a paid membership. Thank you.

0 Comments

Stafford Hospital, 101 Hospital Center Boulevard in Stafford.

Stafford Hospital commemorates its fifteenth anniversary in 2024. Opening its doors in 2009, Stafford Hospital quickly became a cornerstone of healthcare in the region, complementing the existing services and meeting the growing needs of the Stafford community.

Over the past decade and a half, Stafford Hospital has been a hub of healthcare activity, delivering thousands of babies and attending to hundreds of thousands of patients in the Emergency Department. The hospital owes much of its success to the efforts of its dedicated team, supported by numerous volunteers who have contributed countless hours of service.

This article is FREE to read. Please Sign In or Create a FREE Account. Thank you.

0 Comments

American Family Care at 4101 Cheshire Station Plaza, Dale City held a ribbon cutting ceremony on February 8, 2024. [Photo: Submitted]
American Family Care (AFC), a leading provider of urgent care and occupational medicine services, has opened a new center in Dale City, expanding its national care network. The ribbon cutting ceremony for the latest AFC Urgent Care facility, located at 4101 Cheshire Station Plaza, Dale City, took place on February 8.

The new AFC Urgent Care center in Dale City offers a range of medical services aimed at providing efficient and cost-effective care for families. Staffed with skilled medical professionals, the center boasts an on-site laboratory capable of conducting various lab tests with rapid results. With extended hours of operation, AFC Dale City accommodates patients' schedules, opening from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.

Robert Arrington and Simone Williams are the owners behind AFC Urgent Care in Dale City. Arrington expressed excitement about the new location, emphasizing its role in addressing the community's medical needs. He stated, "This new clinic will fill a significant void for medical needs and attention. We look forward to providing urgent care to families who live and work nearby."

This article is FREE to read. Please Sign In or Create a FREE Account. Thank you.

0 Comments
Ă—

Subscribe to our mailing list