Community engagement and impact initiatives are working to care for the uninsured and underinsured, tackle health inequities, and address social determinants of health

In 2022, Sentara Health invested more than $260 million to support communities in Virginia and North Carolina. Sentara Health invested $18.2 million in Northern Virginia, with $15.3 million in uncompensated care and $2.9 million in community giving in 2022.

Sentara is dedicated to promoting health equity and ensuring that all members of its communities have access to the necessary resources for optimal health and well-being. Various environmental factors, such as birthplace and location of residence, education, employment, recreation, and religion, significantly impact overall health. In fact, these factors account for nearly 80% of health outcomes, while direct healthcare only accounts for 20%.

“For more than 130 years, Sentara’s presence in our communities has never been defined solely by our hospitals and clinics,” said Sherry Norquist, MSN, RN, executive director of community engagement and impact at Sentara. “We’ve constantly searched for ways to strengthen our communities — and every individual who calls those communities home — by looking farther ‘upstream’ to address root causes of health disparities and to improve community conditions. By listening and striving to be a partner to both community and faith-based organizations who share our mission, we can be an anchor upon which our entire communities can rely.”

Addressing health disparities requires more than medical interventions. By engaging directly with individuals in underserved communities where they live and work, Sentara can help eliminate health disparities and promote access to nutritious foods, education, safe and affordable housing, and fulfilling employment opportunities. Additionally, through collaboration with community organizations, Sentara aims to identify and address the root causes of health disparities and work towards sustainable solutions.

Sentara Community Engagement and Impact Highlights in 2022

• Conducting Community Health Needs Assessments (CHNAs): Sentara conducts comprehensive community health needs assessments (CHNAs) for each of its inpatient hospitals and outpatient surgical centers across Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina. The assessments blend community input with various data points to help understand disparities that exist in vulnerable populations. The CHNAs findings will guide Sentara’s mission and advance their work over the next three years to address three overarching and interconnected focus areas: behavioral health, chronic disease, social drivers of health.

• Increasing Access to Care: In August of 2022, Sentara launched Sentara Community Care, an innovative healthcare model that brings care directly to the community. Sentara Community Care aims to reduce the traditional barriers of health and wellness by providing consistent, embedded medical and wrap-around services in neighborhoods that historically lacked access, have known health disparities, and statistically experience worse health outcomes. Already, Sentara Community Care has achieved measurable results for the community. Since its August 2022 launch, the Sentara Community Care program has assisted more than 2,150 individuals.

• Fighting Food Insecurity: In 2022, Sentara continued partnering with the Federation of Virginia Food Banks in the fight against food insecurity. Along with other healthcare organizations, community members and other not-for-profit service organizations, Sentara and the Federation of Virginia Food Banks developed a statewide healthy pantry model. This shared model outlines more than 20 practices that pantries can implement to spark better health outcomes. Based off this model and community research, the Federation of Virginia Food Banks will support 20 to 30 community organizations with funding and other tactical support in the coming year. Some of these locations will be co-located within Sentara Community Care Centers and Sentara Mobile Care.

• Increasing Affordable Housing Availability: Sentara seeks to provide housing solutions for members of the community by partnering with agencies and community organizations. Sentara is committed to partnerships, such as the Choice Neighborhood Initiative, which leverages public and private investments to replace distressed public housing and transform neighborhoods of concentrated poverty into neighborhoods of opportunity. In 2022, Sentara invested $11 million to support the Marshall-Ridley Choice Neighborhood Initiative in Newport News, Va. The contribution will help with the initiative’s plans to build modern townhomes and apartments with included space for retail and other small businesses.

Additional Sentara Impact

Sentara donated $10 million to nearly 170 partner organizations throughout Virginia and North Carolina. The investments directly supported programs and initiatives that address social determinants of health and promote health equity.

In addition, Sentara employees donated more than $1,371,000 to the United Way and other regional nonprofits as part of its 2022 United Way campaign. Team members also had the opportunity to increase their charitable giving through the Sentara Charitable Matching Gift Program benefit. Through this match, Sentara donated an additional $595,000 to help promote healthier communities and invest in the organizations that mean the most to its employees.

To learn more about Sentara’s commitment to the communities it serves, visit SentaraCares.com

Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center names new president

Jeff Joyner to begin in June 2023

(Woodbridge, Va.) – Sentara Health announced today that Jeff Joyner, MHA, FACHE, has been named President of Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center (SNVMC) in Woodbridge, Va. Joyner will begin his tenure at SNVMC in June 2023.

Joyner comes to Sentara from Bassett Healthcare Network in Cooperstown, N.Y. where he served as Senior Vice President, Chief Hospital Executive at A.O. Fox Hospital, part of the Bassett Healthcare Network. He is recognized for creating a new culture and philosophy of growth for the hospital. Prior to joining Basset Healthcare Network in 2015, he served as System Vice President, Operations at St. Joseph’s Healthcare System in Paterson, N.J. (2013 – 2015).

“Following a national search, Sentara is proud to have Jeff Joyner join our organization to lead our operations in the Northern Virginia region,” said Paul A. Gaden, Regional President, Western Region of Sentara Health, which is headquartered in Hampton Roads, Va. “Jeff is an innovative and results-driven leader with a successful record in healthcare administration and government, and he has the strategic acumen to help Sentara achieve its mission to improve health every day.”

Joyner is returning to the Washington metropolitan area having held healthcare leadership positions that include: Vice President, Professional Services at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C. (2009 – 2013); Vice President, Patient Support Services and Director of Patient Registration at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring, Md. (2001 – 2009); and Operations Manager of International Services and Financial Manager of Patient Access Services at Washington Hospital Center/Georgetown University Hospital (1998 – 2001).

Skilled across all sectors of the patient delivery continuum, Joyner has extensive experience in all support and ancillary services, program development and strategic planning, board and foundation development, medical staff relations and recruitment, managed care, marketing, community relations, system development, population health and international services.