CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Greater access to life-saving measures can be expected for Hampton Roads residents after the Virginia State Health Commissioner approved an application from Chesapeake Regional Medical Center to allow open-heart surgery.
“This project is a necessary and logical expansion of the current cardiac offerings at Chesapeake Regional,” said Reese Jackson, President & CEO of Chesapeake Regional Healthcare.
“We are making this commitment so that residents of southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina will have better access to life saving services closer to their homes and workplaces. With the inclusion of open-heart surgery, patients will not have to shuttle between providers or facilities to receive all necessary care. It will ensure patients can get timely treatment."
In order to provide certain types of medical services, hospitals in Virginia must submit a Certificate of Public Need application to the state health commissioner. This has been an over five-year process for the healthcare system, according to a spokesperson.
A previous application from Chesapeake Regional Medical Center that was denied was contested and taken to the Supreme Court of Virginia, which ruled that the former commissioner erred in his decision.
"The community has supported our efforts to secure an open-heart surgery program for quite some time," Jackson continued.
"We are incredibly pleased with the Commissioner’s decision and look forward to building a robust program to benefit area residents.”
According to records, Chesapeake Regional Medical Center has the best heart attack survival rate in the region and is better than the 90th percentile of best hospitals nationally.
The hospital will begin facility construction immediately, and they hope to begin to offer surgeries starting in 2024.