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Nearly a year has passed since UVA Health announced completion of the purchase of three community hospitals — Prince William Medical Center, Haymarket Medical Center, and Culpeper Medical Center — along with the Community Health Medical Group. As the process of creating an integrated UVA Health moves forward, we recently spoke with K. Craig Kent, MD, CEO of UVA Health, about what has been accomplished and what lies ahead.

As we approach the first anniversary of the acquisition, what are you most proud of?

Kent: I am most proud of how an expanded UVA Health is able to provide outstanding patient care to more people throughout the Commonwealth. The demand for UVA Health care is extremely high, so by expanding we are able to treat more patients, closer to home. I am also proud that we are able to enroll more patients into clinical trials. By growing UVA Health, it means there are more resources available to help support all of our missions.

Lastly, I am proud of how well the transition has gone thanks to the tremendous work of many individuals who have worked tirelessly to ensure its success. 

What should our teams most look forward to in the second half of the year? 

Kent: There's a lot of positive change and excitement ahead. We will continue to expand our clinical service offerings throughout UVA Community Health — including building out a robust primary care network and growing the size and span of some of our signature service lines, such as cancer, heart and vascular care, women's and children's health, and surgical subspecialties. We also look forward to creating a greater platform for our learners (medical students, nursing students, residents, fellows, etc.).

What will patients begin to experience as we move toward greater integration? 

Kent: Our patients are at the center of everything we do at UVA Health. This integration effort will enable patients across Virginia to continue receiving routine care close to home while having easier access to specialized care and other advanced healthcare services. These include but are not limited to ground-breaking clinical trials and leading-edge treatments and innovations not typically available at community hospitals. 

What will expanded access to advanced care mean to the health of UVA Community Health patients?

Kent: We are at the beginning stages of working with our department chairs and service line leaders to grow and expand our specialty programs at our UVA Community Health sites. We also look forward to enhancing referrals from Northern Virginia to Charlottesville so that tertiary and quaternary care can be received quickly and seamlessly all within the same health system. 

If you could write a headline for a major publication five years from now, what would it be?

Kent: That’s easy. I’d like to log onto a news site and read:

UVA Health Creates New Vision for Healthcare: Integrating Academic Medicine and Community Care Transforms Health and Inspires Hope for all Virginians and Beyond.