Sentara Obici Hospital

01/09/2026

We’re making our hospital safer for patients, visitors, and staff. 🏥🔒

Our Concealed Weapon Detection system has now expanded from the Emergency Department to our main entrance. The system screens for fi****ms, knives, chemical mace, and other weapons to help keep our campus secure and welcoming for everyone.

If a weapon is detected, our security officers will ask the visitor to return it to their vehicle before entering the hospital. Once inside, visitors will be asked to show ID at the reception desk to receive a visitor badge.

Thank you for partnering with us to maintain a weapons-free campus and ensure a safe, respectful experience for all who walk through our doors. 💙⚕️

01/07/2026

All Sentara emergency departments are currently seeing a spike in visits for flu and respiratory illnesses.

If you're feeling sick with mild to moderate symptoms, you may not need the emergency department — and there are other options that can help you feel better sooner.

12/05/2025

Sheriff David Miles & the Suffolk Virginia Sheriff's Office stopped by last week to surprise our extended-stay patients with handmade Thanksgiving cards created by homeschool students from Classical Conversations Downtown Suffolk. Simple gestures, but the kind that brought big smiles to patients spending the holidays in the hospital. 🫶🍁

We're so grateful for the kindness that our community shares so freely! 🧡

10/07/2025

We are looking forward to seeing YOU soon for Smithfield National Night Out!!!

Here are the details: Tuesday, October 7, 2025, from 5–7 PM at the Luter Sports Complex! 💙👮‍♂️👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

It’s more than just a night out — it’s your chance to connect with your community AND take charge of your health! 🩺💪
We’re bringing FREE health services, education, and fun for all ages!

✅ Blood Pressure Checks
💉 Flu Shot Administration
🩸 Stop the Bleed Training
🚑 First Aid Demos
🎗️ Breast Health Awareness
🍎 Diabetic Education

Learn, engage, and stay healthy with your neighbors, local health professionals, and first responders!

🗓 Rain Date: Thursday, October 9 (same time)

Bring the whole family — and don’t miss this powerful evening of safety, wellness, and community spirit!

📍 Luter Sports Complex, Smithfield
📣 Tag your friends and spread the word!

10/06/2025

Join us tomorrow, October 7th for Smithfield National Night Out from 5–7 PM at the Luter Sports Complex! 💙👮‍♂️👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

It’s more than just a night out — it’s your chance to connect with your community AND take charge of your health! 🩺💪
We’re bringing FREE health services, education, and fun for all ages!

✅ Blood Pressure Checks
💉 Flu Shot Administration
🩸 Stop the Bleed Training
🚑 First Aid Demos
🎗️ Breast Health Awareness
🍎 Diabetic Education

Learn, engage, and stay healthy with your neighbors, local health professionals, and first responders!

🗓 Rain Date: Thursday, October 9 (same time)

Bring the whole family — and don’t miss this powerful evening of safety, wellness, and community spirit!

📍 Luter Sports Complex, Smithfield
📣 Tag your friends and spread the word!

10/06/2025

Sentara Obici Hospital awarded its first "Brain Saver Award" outside of the hospital’s care team to Suffolk Fire & Rescue Station 6, for their life-saving response to a stroke patient.

When Medic 6 and Engine 6 responded to a Priority 1 call, the crew immediately used the BE FAST method to identify stroke symptoms, began care in the field, and alerted our emergency department while en route.

Thanks to their quick action, the stroke team at Sentara Obici Hospital was ready and waiting, administering life-saving clot-busting treatment just 17 minutes after arrival.

The result? The patient made a full recovery. 💙

“Our EMS partners play a huge role in successful outcomes,” said Kelly Beale, Stroke Program Coordinator. “This team did excellent work in the field, and I wanted to recognize them with the ‘Brain Saver’ award, which is an internal award we usually reserve for our hospital stroke team.”

10/01/2025

Not all breast cancers are the same.

A diagnosis can feel overwhelming—but understanding the type of breast cancer you or a loved one has can make all the difference.

Dr. Andrea Merrill, breast surgeon at Sentara Breast Surgery Specialists, breaks down the different types of breast cancer—like hormone-positive, HER2-positive, triple-negative, and inflammatory breast cancer—and how they impact treatment decisions.

“Each diagnosis is unique, and so is the path to healing,” says Dr. Merrill.

If you’ve been diagnosed or know someone who has, knowledge is power. Learn more about how personalized care leads to better outcomes. https://bit.ly/40Xpsvv

09/29/2025

The quickest way to protect yourself and the people you love from the flu? Just roll down your window and roll up your sleeve 🚗💪

Join us for FREE drive-thru flu shot clinics on Saturday, October 18, from 8 am – Noon at 17 Sentara locations across Hampton Roads, Northern Virginia, Charlottesville, Harrisonburg, South Boston, and northeast North Carolina.

Getting your flu shot now helps protect you and your loved ones from serious illness, hospitalizations, and complications. It’s quick, safe, and convenient!

Our clinics are open to everyone 18 and older, and no appointment is needed. We also have a limited quantity of special high-dose vaccines available for those 65 and older.

👉 Visit sentara.com/flushots for a complete list of drive-thru clinic locations.

09/20/2025

Looking to keep your heart healthy in your 20s, 30s, 40s, and beyond? 🫀

Look to our clinical chief of cardiology, Dr. Deepak Talreja, for the answers.

Dr. Talreja spoke with TIME and shared the secrets to a healthy heart (...that we don't want to keep a secret!). Hint: annual screenings starting at age 18.

👏 Thank you to our providers for lending their expertise to national publications, which helps increase education on important health topics.

Read the article here: https://bit.ly/3K7N4rK

Caring for your heart looks different in every decade of life.

09/19/2025

🎉 SAVE THE DATE! 🎉
Join us for Smithfield National Night Out on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, from 5–7 PM at the Luter Sports Complex! 💙👮‍♂️👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

It’s more than just a night out — it’s your chance to connect with your community AND take charge of your health! 🩺💪
We’re bringing FREE health services, education, and fun for all ages!

✅ Blood Pressure Checks
💉 Flu Shot Administration
🩸 Stop the Bleed Training
🚑 First Aid Demos
🎗️ Breast Health Awareness
🍎 Diabetic Education

Learn, engage, and stay healthy with your neighbors, local health professionals, and first responders!

🗓 Rain Date: Thursday, October 9 (same time)

Bring the whole family — and don’t miss this powerful evening of safety, wellness, and community spirit!

📍 Luter Sports Complex, Smithfield
📣 Tag your friends and spread the word!

09/15/2025

School lunch costs are climbing — but healthy meals don’t have to break the bank!
Our registered dietitian, Blake shared smart, affordable lunch ideas your kids will actually eat recently during an interview with WTKR! 🍎🥪

Check it out here, https://www.wtkr.com/news/in-the-community/norfolk/school-lunch-costs-are-rising-heres-how-to-cut-costs-and-stay-healthy

09/12/2025

For us, sustainability is more than a goal — it’s a responsibility. 🌿

Through collaboration between our Supply Chain, Imaging, and Sustainability teams, we converted 53 CT scanners to GE Healthcare’s bulk contrast injectors, resulting in:
✅ A projected 78,000-pound reduction in plastic waste each year
✅ Estimated savings of $875,000 in disposal costs
✅ Faster, more efficient CT scans for patients

“This is what we can achieve when we collaborate across divisions toward a shared goal,” said Lisa Darger, Sentara’s director of sustainability.

This initiative also helps decrease microplastics entering waterways and frees up valuable storage space in our facilities — redefining how we deliver efficient, patient-centered, and environmentally responsible care.