Peninsula In Passage

Sentara BelleHarbour – Kurt Hofelich When Sentara BelleHarbour, opened on Bridge Road, U.S. 17, in July, 2008, around the corner from the Bon Secours facility the community wondered if the population could support two medical service centers. Their concerns were unfounded according to Kurt Hofelich, President of Sentara Norfolk General Hospital and Vice President/Division Executive, Sentara Healthcare. “We see about 28,000 ER patients a year, “he says. “ We work collaboratively with Bon Secours and we don’t disrupt the doctor/patient connection.” The current 75,000 square foot Sentara medical building is the first phase of a complex that will ultimately include 180,000 square feet of health care facilities. Hofelich says -

In 2000 Sentara started studying the region, noting the population growth, looking for opportunities for an ambulatory facility to care for the needs of the community. Obici hospital was looking for the same thing. Obici needed to grow in the prosperous, younger population in North Suffolk to offset the cost of care in the downtown core. Our interests met in recognizing the growth of health care needs in this community. The area had 165,000 people within a 15 miles radius. Sentara already had an MRI and CT mobile unit in place near Chris Jones’ pharmacy.

So we started discussing a joint venture and Sentara and Obici decided to work together. Sentara was experimenting with freestanding emergency facilities, Nightingale capable, and already had one in Princess Anne. In 2006 the merger between Sentara and Obici was consummated. Route 17 was an ideal location for the new project and Obici had five acres there near the Bennett’s Creek pharmacy but it wasn’t big enough. So we looked for a better location and it was difficult. There was very little land available that was not spoken for. We looked at the BelleHarbour master plan and felt that Sentara would fit into the BelleHarbour continuing care plan. Sentara has a land lease arrangement with the church and the Sentara center fulfills the church’s health care mission .

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