The Potomac Health Foundation has awarded three separate grants for projects at Sentara Potomac Hospital.
A $215,000 grant was awarded to the Sentara Family Health Connection Mobile Clinics to cover operational expenses, salaries, and renovations to the oldest of the mobile clinic’s two vans.
The Potomac Health Foundation awarded a second grant of $85,000 to fund the new “Every Baby, Every Time,” program which will be operated out of the mobile clinics. Every Baby, Every Time is a prenatal education and care program that will include pregnancy tests, general prenatal care and finding a prenatal/delivery provider for women in the community.
Each year, many women use the Sentara Potomac emergency room exclusively for prenatal care or to deliver their babies. The Every Baby, Every Time program will increase awareness of the importance of early prenatal care, including nutrition, exercise and managing gestational diabetes.
“Every Baby Every Time will really help us educate women in our community about the importance of early prenatal care,” says Evelyn Marr, R.N., Director of the Sentara Family Health Connection Mobile Clinics (pictured with the mobile clinic staff). “Our nurse practitioners and outreach workers will be able to perform pregnancy tests and give women resources for follow-up prenatal care and delivery. We’re so excited to add this component to our breadth of services.”
The third grant of $725,000 will fund a new mobile digital Mammography Van for Northern Virginia. In the Prince William County area there is a lack of early detection and treatment of breast cancer, particularly for low income women, leading to a high rate of deaths from breast cancer. Data indicate that the cancers are detected at a late, more serious stage, which signifies the need for improved early detection and treatment.
This program will improve access to mammography screening services for low income and uninsured women and will link patients with necessary follow up diagnosis and treatment services. An additional benefit will be the use of the Mammography Van’s exam room for a variety of women’s health issues, including well women exams and health education and counseling.
“The mammography mobile unit is a 40-foot coach that will have full digital mammography with computer aided detection,” says Marty Ward, director of Radiology and Imaging Services at Sentara Potomac Hospital. “We will partner with the Family Health Connection to serve those with little or no insurance and we’ll also partner with communities, organizations, and houses of worship to make access even more convenient for Northern Virginia residents.”
Sentara Potomac Hospital’s Mammography Van is scheduled to begin service in the spring of 2012. Please contact Marty Ward at 703-670-1866 if you are interested in having the Mobile Mammography Van visit your organization.
About the Potomac Health Foundation:
Potomac Health Foundation is one of the newest private health foundations in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It was established in December 2009 as a result of the merger between Potomac Hospital Corporation of Woodbridge, Virginia and Sentara Healthcare, also a Virginia not-for-profit corporation. Potomac Health Foundation serves the communities in eastern Prince William County, Virginia and adjacent communities in southeast Fairfax and north Stafford Counties. Potomac Health Foundation is a grant-making organization that focuses solely on health issues. It does not provide health services directly to consumers, but it does offer financial support to public and private organizations that do. The foundation seeks to improve critical aspects of human health - physical, emotional, oral, and nutritional - through clinical care, prevention and advocacy services.
About Sentara Family Health Connection Mobile Clinics:
Sentara Family Health Connection Mobile Clinics are two custom Ford vans that provide primary care to residents of Prince William County. On the road since 1996, the mobile clinics are staffed by nurse practitioners from Sentara Potomac Hospital who provide physical examinations, vision and hearing screenings, blood pressure checks, immunizations, basic medical care and health information. The two mobile clinics serve the neediest of our community, visiting sites including A.C.T.S. Homeless Shelter, the Dumfries-Triangle Rescue Squad, Dumfries United Methodist Church, the Community Services Board, the Hilda Barg Homeless Prevention Shelter, St. Paul's United Methodist Church, Kilby Elementary School and Holy Family Catholic Church. Appointments may be made by calling 703-338-6678.
