Sun Gazette: Hospital group aims to focus on women’s health in new facility

A 22,000-square-foot facility dedicated to women’s health will be part of the new outpatient pavilion of VHC Health (Virginia Hospital Center) when the new structure opens next year.

“Women disproportionately put off preventive services during the COVID-19 pandemic – that’s why is is important that we help women maintain good health,” said Kelly Orzechowski, M.D., vice chief of medical specialties for VHC Health Physicians.

“Women play a critical role in a family’s overall health,” Dr. Orzechowski said. “Better outcomes in women’s health are known to have subsequent benefits for families, children and the elderly, leading to stronger, healthier communities.”

Developed by a female-led physician team, the initiative calls for obstetrics, gynecology, maternal-fetal medicine, aging/menopause services, genetics, breast health, urology and cardiology to be grouped together.

“Bundling” services for women into one facility will provide for a seamless patient experience, hospital officials said.

“The investment in a one-stop shop for women’s health services, along with our digital technology, will enhance the quality-of-care collaboration, increase accessibility and help women stay healthy,” said Terri Remy, M.D., vice chief of primary care at VHC Health Physicians.

The six-story outpatient pavilion, currently rising along North George Mason Drive at the hospital’s Arlington campus, is slated to open in the summer of 2023 after a lengthy gestation period. It is part of a nationwide shift toward providing more outpatient-care options, hospital officials said.