Surgical Associates at Virginia Hospital Center

Surgical Associates at Virginia Hospital Center can see a patient in the office within 24 hours in most cases. Our commitment to delivering excellent care as quickly as possible is supported by our office being equipped with ultrasound diagnostic capabilities as well as a surgery room for minor procedures. In addition, our computer system is securely networked to that of the Hospital, allowing our doctors to have rapid access to patient records and x-rays and other diagnostic images performed at the Hospital. Our doctors also cover the Hospital’s Emergency Department and Clinic, as well as offering consultation services for surgical disorders 24 hours a day, seven days a week for all patients on site.

As the name suggests, Surgical Associates at Virginia Hospital Center is located in the main office and clinical services building of Virginia Hospital Center itself. Unveiled in 2004, the new Virginia Hospital center is a medically sophisticated, full-service facility with state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment equipment. Surgical Associates’ site in the heart of the Hospital tower enables our surgeons and patients to take advantage of close proximity to Radiology & Diagnostic Imaging, Inpatient and Outpatient Surgery and a variety of other inpatient and outpatient services, as well as to leverage the expertise of comprehensive mix of medical and surgical specialists who may play a role in a patient’s care.

Patients of Surgical Associates at Virginia Hospital Center may be particularly interested in the following features of Virginia Hospital Center:

All Private Inpatient Rooms at Semi-Private Rates: All inpatient rooms are private rooms with their own bathrooms. Private rooms provide quiet, comfort, enhanced infection control and individual space for discrete conversations with doctors, nurses and visitors. Each room also has a daybed for guests, room service, and data ports for Internet access.
All Private Admitting and Recovery Rooms for Outpatient Surgical Patients: The Thomas J. Offutt Center for Outpatient Surgery includes forty (40) private patient rooms for surgical prep and recovery, so that patients may have peace and quiet before and after their procedures. Once at home, all patients receive a post-discharge phone call from a nurse to monitor their recovery.
Surgical Suites: The Hospital's surgical suites are designed to create an optimal operating environment for the surgeon, staff and—most importantly—the patient. These modern suites integrate the latest technology in minimally-invasive surgery equipment, flat-panel LCD monitors and high- definition cameras with ceiling mounted suspension systems, providing increased efficiencies and ergonomics. Included in the Hospital’s variety of surgical instrumentation is the DaVinci® Surgical System (often referred to as “the DaVinci robot”), which takes surgery beyond the limits of the human hand via a 3-D viewing console and use of three tiny, robotic “hands”. In addition, as of July 2007 Virginia Hospital Center was one of only 26 hospitals worldwide to offer O-arm® surgical imaging technology, which makes surgery more precise by allowing surgeons to view anatomy in the operative position and verify surgical changes before closing incisions—all without moving their patients.
Radiology & Diagnostic Imaging: Radiology & Diagnostic Imaging at Virginia Hospital Center is all-digital (totally “filmless”). This means that—whether having an x-ray, MRI exam, CT scan or other radiological test—patients receive quicker, more accurate diagnoses. And because our diagnostic equipment is networked, patients’ images may be immediately and securely distributed to physicians throughout the Hospital, so that—without delay—every doctor on a patient’s care team may review results and act on them.

Women who avail themselves of R&DI’s Women’s Imaging Center often particularly appreciate that digital mammography’s superior imaging requires drastically fewer “re-takes”—and thus less compression, anxiety and waiting—than traditional mammography. The first in the area to offer totally digital mammography services, Virginia Hospital Center also utilizes Integrated Computer Assisted Diagnosis (CAD) which scans each image for abnormalities to improve the accuracy of its final interpretation.
Radiation Oncology: In 1999, Virginia Hospital Center added a new linear accelerator to treat cancer—the only such device in use in Northern Virginia at the time—and enhancements to patient care have continued to be put in place since then. In 2003, the Lung Cancer Center was established with the aim of providing rapid diagnosis and coordinated treatment of lung cancers. In 2004, Radiation Oncology at Virginia Hospital Center was the first in Northern Virginia to add state-of-the-art IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy) to its arsenal of treatment options, allowing patients to safely receive higher doses of radiation than traditional radiation therapy. And In the fourth quarter of 2007 a new Cyberknife® Robotic Radiosurgery System will be installed and operational. With its image-guided robotics and ability to track, detect and correct for both tumor and patient movement, the Cyberknife will allow the Hospital to deliver pain-free treatment without the use of head and body frames—a significant improvement over traditional radiosurgery.

Surgical Associates at Virginia Hospital Center encourages our patients and potential patients to equip themselves with information on their medical conditions and the surgery(ies) they are considering. Links to credible online resources may be found throughout our web site.