UVA Digestive Health at Primary Care Center

04/24/2026

In Virginia, 2 people die every week while waiting for an organ donation. A successful transplant depends on how well we can protect the donated organ while it travels from the donor (the person who gave an organ) to the patient.

Our new organ transplant technology addresses two challenges:
🔵 The Sleeping Organ Problem: When an organ is placed in traditional cold storage, its metabolism slows down almost completely. While this preserves it, the organ is essentially "off." This means we can’t see how well the organ is working until it is already inside the patient.
🟢 The Ice Bite Problem: Delicate organs are very sensitive to temperature. Traditional cold storage can be inconsistent. Failure to keep an even temperature can cause "overcooling" injuries, similar to frostbite.

Read more about how this UVA Transplant technology helps us keep organs healthier on their way to a recipient: https://bit.ly/4tp8GBw

04/23/2026

04/22/2026

Big news for heart care in our community ❤️

We are partnering with UVA Health to bring a new clinical trial to Eastern Virginia focused on treating aortic stenosis, a serious heart valve condition.

This collaboration means more local access to advanced research, new potential treatment options, and expert care right here at home.

It is another step forward in our commitment to improving health and expanding access for the communities we serve.

Learn more about this exciting development: https://www.riversideonline.com/about/newscenter/heart-and-vascular/riverside-uva-health-partner-to-bring-leading-edge-heart-clinical-trial-to-eastern-virginia

04/22/2026

"This nomination reflects not just clinical skill — but true advocacy, critical thinking, compassion, and a commitment to seeing the whole person, not just the symptoms. Brittany Scott’s actions changed the trajectory of this patient’s life and exemplify the very heart of the DAISY Award!"

The DAISY Foundation Award is a nursing-specific award created to honor extraordinary care. 🌼 We're proud to honor Brittany Scott, BSN, RN, of Cancer Care Augusta, who was nominated by a colleague for going above and beyond after a patient confided in her about circumstances at home that impacted their recovery: "The patient calls Brittany a 'hero' and says they will never forget that their life was saved that day."

04/21/2026

Last year, the UVA Transplant Center launched their Living Donor First program to emphasize the importance of living organ donation.

For people with end-stage liver or kidney disease, an organ transplant can offer a chance at a full life. But a person can be on the waiting list for a long time. Living donors can save lives by donating an organ while they're still alive.

💙💚 Learn more about living organ donation at https://bit.ly/4tmlHvv

04/20/2026

Colloidal silver has a complicated history. It's a liquid that contains silver particles, which some people claim has all kinds of health benefits. Claims about the medical benefits of silver itself, not just colloidal, go back into ancient times.

In the modern day, you may have seen commercials or Instagram ads saying that colloidal silver combats infections, including COVID, strengthens your immune system, or can even cure cancer.

Here’s the bottom line: the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned that colloidal silver isn’t safe or effective for treating any disease or medical condition.

🔹 Learn more about why this "supplement" is far more likely to harm than help at https://bit.ly/4tpkGTN

04/20/2026

"Your dedication to care and support patients and their families went above and beyond my expectations. Thank you all for all your kindness throughout this journey. I will never be able to thank you all enough or repay you for all that you have done!"

UVA Health's DAISY Foundation Award is a nursing-specific award created to honor extraordinary care. 🌼 A UVA Health perianesthesiology nurse hailed the Surgical Trauma Intensive Care Unit (STICU) for taking "beyond amazing care" of her mother for months following a transplant, earning them the 2025 DAISY Team Award. The award is given to only one University Medical Center team each year.

Courtney Gillespie, BSN, RN, nominated the STICU, taking the time and care to cite specific examples for more than a dozen team members: "I will never be able to remember every minor detail and every single person we came into contact with, but I will do my best to show just how amazing this entire team was to my mom and to my family."

04/19/2026

We continue to lead the way in cardiovascular care by becoming one of the first health systems in the country to use the OmniaSecure™ implanted defibrillator (ICD) lead, designed to be smaller, stronger, and more durable than previous versions.

Because the lead is smaller and takes up less space within blood vessels, it may reduce complications and improve patient comfort over time.

Pamela Mason, MD, UVA Health’s chief of cardiac electrophysiology, notes that this is a major step forward for patients who need long-term heart monitoring. Learn more about the technology at https://bit.ly/4dTb7aB

04/17/2026

There’s something about parasites specifically that makes most people get the creeps. We’ve all heard the horror stories of people living for years with vague symptoms of stomach pain, only to find out much later that they’d been infected with a worm. Why not do a quick clean-out to find out?

🪱 William Petri, MD, an infectious disease specialist, says that “there’s no evidence that these parasite cleanses are either effective or needed.” We had him answer a few questions about common parasites and cleanses to ease our minds.

04/14/2026

""From the moment Emily entered my brother’s room, it was clear that she saw him not just as a patient, but as a person. She was consistently attentive, compassionate, and proactive in every aspect of his care. Emily took the time to explain medications, procedures, and next steps in a way that was clear, calm, and reassuring — not only to my brother, but to our entire family."

UVA Health's DAISY Foundation Award is a nursing-specific award created to honor extraordinary care. 🌼 We're proud to honor Emily McKee, BSN, RN, who was nominated by a patient's family members for being "the reason patients and families feel safe, supported, and cared for during some of life’s hardest moments. She exemplifies extraordinary compassion, clinical excellence, and relationship-based care."