Hospital Administartion - Essay Example

Within the context of what was previously mentioned, Sentara offers a variety of services, for patients ranging from newborn to elderly, and in almost every field. Sentara has also focused on providing first aid, as it pioneered the first air ambulance service in the region called Nightingale, as well as implementing new protocols in 2000 that dramatically improved the survival rate and lowered the effects of stroke. Also, in 2006, it implemented the 12-Lead EKG system that enabled doctors in Sentara hospitals to receive EKG's from paramedics on route to the hospital.

While providing both inpatient and outpatient services, it should be mentioned that Sentara has focused the past years on several fields, improving their methods and technology. These fields include oncology, cardiology and urology. Oncology is an ever developing field, and Sentara managed to develop their methods and expand the scope of their treatments to provide the best care for its customers. In 2000, it implemented a computer-aided detection system for breast cancer, revealing cancers earlier, and therefore improving the effectiveness of treatments.

It also implemented several systems in 2002 for a better effectiveness of radiation treatments, such as stereotactic radio surgery, Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy and brain wafers, all with the purpose of effectively delivering chemotherapy and radiation treatments to tumors without damaging surrounding tissue. In addition, in 2005 it is the first healthcare network in the region to use the recently approved FDA chemotherapy ViaCirqO method for treating abdominal cancers. Sentara also implemented certain revolutionary surgical techniques in treating cancers.

In 2002, the Zeus surgical robot was used to treat prostate cancer, making small incisions and minimizing scars. From 2004-2007 has been implementing the Da Vinci surgical robotic system that has been implemented in several aspects of thoracic, urinary and oncologic surgery, reaching the number of 500 surgeries performed in 2007 since its implementation. As cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the United States, Sentara has also focused on perfecting the procedures and machinery involved in treatment of such diseases.

Procedures like transmyocardial revacscularization that increases the blood flow to the heart is beating-heart bypass surgery is one of the many techniques utilized by the physicians. In 2002, Sentara performed the first adult congenital atrial septal defect interventional repair. In 2004, this procedure was improved even further, by pioneering a new transcatheter technique, reducing patient's recovery time from 6 weeks to 2-3 days. It also pioneered several new devices in the region, such as the HeartMate II, which is a device assisting in transplants in 2005, and a latest in CT and MRI technology in 2007 in order to better detect cardiac tumors, septal defects and the percent of damage after a heart attack.

Urology is also one of the more prominent areas of healthcare that Sentara focuses on. They provide the InterStim therapy, which is a rare procedure throughout the hospitals in US, and just recently made available for patients. It is also the healthcare