COVID-19 death toll underreported, study finds
A joint Virginia Commonwealth University and Yale University study published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that the COVID-19 death counts reported to the U.S. public underestimate the true death toll of the pandemic in the country. “There are several potential reasons for this under-count,” lead author Dr. Steven Woolf, director […]
Cameron Foundation awards $1.13M in local grants
Petersburg-based The Cameron Foundation announced Tuesday it has awarded $1.13 million in grants to 24 nonprofit organizations in Central Virginia during its first round of funding for 2020. The two largest economic development grants went to Virginia’s Gateway Region and Virginia Local Initiatives Support Corp. (LISC). Virginia’s Gateway Region was awarded $136,063 for general operati[...]
State directs $30M to health care providers struggling from pandemic
Amid the COVID-19 public health crisis, Gov. Ralph Northam on Tuesday approved an estimated $30 million in emergency support for primary care doctors, pediatricians and other health care providers who offer general health care services to Virginia Medicaid members, Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) announced Tuesday. “By taking action to support these frontline […]
Health care providers fear cancellation of telehealth coverage after pandemic ceases
FAIRFAX, Va. — Meg Fregoso, a nurse practitioner, used to see patients who previously had a lung transplant at Inova Fairfax Hospital. Now she uses telehealth to meet patients. Fregoso is one of many health care providers offering more telehealth services due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, providers are concerned that they will no longer […]
Sentara opens $93.5M Brock Cancer Center in Norfolk
Norfolk-based Sentara Healthcare announced Friday it has opened the $93.5 million, 253,000-square-foot Sentara Brock Cancer Center, a patient treatment and care facility in Norfolk. The facility, which started construction in March 2018, opened to patients on June 1. It’s named for philanthropists Joan Brock and her late husband Macon. A three-time cancer survivor, Joan Brock […]
State directs nearly $250M to long-term care facilities for COVID-19
Because a majority of COVID-19 outbreaks in Virginia have occurred in long-term care facilities, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Friday that the state will direct nearly $250 million to these facilities for coronavirus response, with most of the funding coming from federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding. Northam has also directed the […]
Fairfax medical office building sells for $4.6M
A medical office building in Fairfax County’s Merrifield area has sold for $4.6 million, Toronto, Canada-based commercial real estate company Avison Young Inc. announced Monday. The five-story, 53,430-square-foot building is 37% leased to several medical practices, says Avison Young Principal Jim Kornick, who led the sale on behalf of the seller, Harrison Street Real Estate. […]
Health accelerator program coming to Richmond
Richmond-based seed-stage accelerator Lighthouse Labs is partnering with the Health Innovation Consortium (HIC) to start a health-focused startup accelerator program in Virginia, the groups announced Thursday. Virginia Commonwealth University, VCU Health and Richmond-based nonprofit Activation Capital created HIC, which launched in January 2019 to bring health care ideas to the market. “Health[...]
What does ‘reopening’ actually mean?
Updated May 14, 6:15 p.m. With most of Virginia preparing to enter the first phase of Gov. Ralph Northam’s “Forward Virginia” plan on Friday, there’s still a fair number of questions about what exactly Phase One of “reopening the state” means for business owners, employees and consumers. Here’s what you should know: Reopening in Phase […]
U.Va. research to inform COVID-19 drug treatment
The University of Virginia School of Medicine announced Tuesday that results from a 2019 U.Va. study are being used to inform a national study looking into the effectiveness of the antidepressant medication fluvoxamine as a potential treatment for COVID-19. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis say the drug may prevent dangerous […]
FEMA sending three decontamination systems to Virginia
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved sending Virginia three decontamination systems that can collectively sterilize up to 240,000 units of personal protective equipment (PPE) per day for reuse, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced Saturday. The Battelle Critical Care Decontamination Systems, which will be operational within the next week, will be stationed at the Marching [&hellip[...]
Cumberland Hospital for Children and Adolescents names medical director
Cumberland Hospital for Children and Adolescents in New Kent County, which treats patients who suffer from chronic illness, brain injury or neurological impairment, announced this week that Dr. Brett Sharp has been named as its medical director, which became effective April 20. Sharp, who has 29 years of clinical experience, has been in private practice […]