Whenever Dr. James W. McCorry heads out into the community, he often runs into people he’s served during their stay at the hospital. The experiences, he says, are always positive.
Everyone is always appreciative and complimentary regarding their care at the hospital,”
says McCorry, an emergency department physician for Riverside Doctors’ Hospital Williamsburg. “I am often stopped on the streets by people who want to share their stories. I had one man who’s had multiple family members who’ve been served by us who came up to me to tell me how grateful he was.”
McCorry has been with Riverside Doctors’ Hospital since it welcomed its first patients five years ago. A 5th anniversary celebration is in the works for the hospital, which opened in the Quarterpath development near routes 60 and 199 to help serve Williamsburg’s sizable retiree population. Patient growth has climbed steadily since.
“It’s gone by fast, and it’s been interesting,” says McCorry. “I hope we continue to expand and improve in our services and continue to look for opportunity for more growth.”
The hospital has received many accolades since opening in May 2013. Riverside Doctors’ Hospital earned exemplar status as a Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders (NICHE) hospital for its treatment and care of senior citizens and is a Certified Primary Stroke Center. It was also designated as a Center of Excellence in Minimally Invasive Gynecology by the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists.
In the fall of 2017, the hospital was also recognized with the QUEST Award for high-value healthcare from Premier Inc., a leading healthcare improvement company, for providing outstanding patient care. It was one of just six hospitals out of 350 hospitals nationwide to earn the distinction.
“We are proud of everything we’ve accomplished as a hospital and we are grateful to the Williamsburg community and everyone we serve,” says Adria Vanhoozier, Riverside Doctors’ Hospital’s administrator.
In September 2014, the hospital teamed with Colonial Behavioral Health to open Williamsburg’s first Crisis Intervention Team Assessment Center (CITAC). CITAC enables local law enforcement officers to bring individuals to the hospital for mental health evaluations instead of taking them into custody. Roughly 700 patients were seen at CITAC last year.
“We have the busiest CITAC program in the state,” Vanhoozier says. “This program is just one example of how we partner with others in the community.”
Commitment to the community has been a focus of Doctors’ Hospital since Day 1: More recently, it was instrumental in helping the Williamsburg area achieve status as a HEARTSafe community. The HEARTSafe program is a public health initiative that provides CPR training and resources such as defibrillators to assist when people go into cardiac arrest outside of a hospital. Riverside Doctors’ Hospital Williamsburg, Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center and emergency medical services from Williamsburg, James City and York counties, along with other businesses and organizations, were a part of the alliance that worked to bring about the HEARTSafe designation.
The HEARTSafe recognition for Greater Williamsburg is a true demonstration of how community partners can collaborate to improve the health and wellbeing of the areas they serve,”
Vanhoozier says. “This is something that we are extremely proud of.”
Since opening in 2013, the two-story, 40-bed, state-of-the-art hospital has nearly doubled the number of patients it sees on a daily basis, treating close to 60 individuals every day. The hospital had an economic impact of roughly $105.5 million in the Williamsburg area in 2016.
“Everyone works very hard to serve our patients,” says McCorry, who credited the entire hospital staff for Doctors’ Hospital’s success. “They all go above and beyond in their duties to help our patients and their families.”
As the hospital makes final preparations for their anniversary celebrations, those who work there continue to plan for the future. In early 2019, the hospital anticipates having a new MRI machine on-site as well as a third operating room.
“I love hearing stories from our patients about how a team member helped them and really brightened their day,” Vanhoozier says. “That is why we are here. I feel very lucky to be a part of this organization and for us to be here in Williamsburg.”