Health

OB/GYN and Urology Clinics Are Moving to a New Spot in Manassas—Here’s What That Means for You

By Uriah Kiser

MANASSAS, Va. – UVA Health said it’s opening a new multispecialty clinic in Manassas. Starting Monday, August 18, patients can head to 8691 Stonewall Road for OB/GYN and urology care—all under one roof.

The move brings together two existing offices from Sudley Road and Forestwood Lane, giving patients a more convenient, upgraded space just minutes from UVA Health Prince William Medical Center. Appointments already scheduled will automatically shift to the new spot—no action needed from patients.

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Virginia Marketplace Health Plans Could Jump 20% Next Year — One Insurer Wants 40%

By Uriah Kiser
[Photo by Hush Naidoo Jade Photography/Unsplash]

Virginians who buy health insurance on the state’s marketplace could see big premium hikes in 2026, with most insurers proposing average increases of 20% or more — and one requesting twice that.

The State Corporation Commission says 10 insurers plan to sell individual marketplace plans in Virginia next year. Optimum Choice, Inc. has proposed the steepest average increase, 40.2%, according to SCC records. Rates in the small group market, which covers businesses with fewer than 50 workers, could rise an average of 11.2%.

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New Heart & Vascular Center Opens in Woodbridge—A First for Northern Virginia

By Uriah Kiser
The Northern Virginia Heart & Vascular Center team who did the first procedure.

WOODBRIDGE, Va. – Sentara Health said they’ve teamed up with Carient Heart & Vascular and Polaris Heart & Vascular Clinic to open a brand-new outpatient cardiovascular center—something Northern Virginia has never seen before.

The Northern Virginia Heart & Vascular Center, located on Groupe Drive just three miles from Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center, officially treated its first patient on July 24. It’s designed for people who need specific heart procedures but don’t require a hospital stay.

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Future Healthcare Workers Get Hands-On Experience at Sentara Summer Camp

By Uriah Kiser

WOODBRIDGE, Va. – At first glance, it looked like a typical hospital simulation: blinking mannequins, beeping monitors, and focused students practicing CPR and drawing blood. But for 14-year-old students like those in the room at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center, it was a first glimpse into what a future career in medicine might look like.

Sixteen rising 8th and 9th graders from Prince William County Public Schools spent a week at the hospital as part of the Sentara Healthcare Career Camp, a free summer program designed to expose youth to the wide array of healthcare professions beyond just doctors and nurses.

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Sentara’s New Virtual Nurses Are Already Freeing Up Time and Improving Patient Care

By Potomac Local News

WOODBRIDGE, Va. – Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center has launched a new virtual nursing program that’s already changing how nurses care for patients—and how patients experience care.

The hospital’s Virtual Registered Nursing (VRN) Program allows experienced nurses to connect with patients through 50-inch screens in hospital rooms, handling admissions, discharges, and patient education remotely. The goal: give bedside nurses more time to focus on hands-on care, while still ensuring patients get one-on-one attention.

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Better Signals, Safer Responses: Fredericksburg Hospital Adds New Radio System

By Potomac Local News

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – Mary Washington Hospital has installed a new antenna system to help first responders communicate more clearly when responding to emergencies inside the hospital.

According to a press release from Mary Washington Healthcare, the hospital’s new Distributed Antenna System (DAS) cost $268,000 and is designed to boost radio signals throughout the hospital, improving communication in areas where coverage is typically poor. Hospitals, with their thick walls and complex layouts, are some of the toughest places for emergency radios to work correctly.

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Health Officials Confirm Rabid Raccoon Found in Spotsylvania County

By Potomac Local News

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – Health officials have confirmed a raccoon found near the 7000 block of Stubbs Bridge Road in Spotsylvania County tested positive for rabies, according to the Rappahannock Area Health District.

Anyone who may have had contact with the animal is urged to seek medical care right away and contact the Spotsylvania County Health Department at 540-507-7386. Pet owners concerned their animal may have been exposed should call their veterinarian and contact either the Health Department or Spotsylvania County Animal Control at 540-507-7549.

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Lake Anna’s Summer Safety Plan: More Testing, Public Warnings After 2024 Illnesses

By Kelly Sienkowski

As Memorial Day approaches, local officials are ramping up safety efforts at Lake Anna in response to last summer’s E. coli outbreak that left two dozen people sick—most of them children.

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Dumfries Mayor Hosts Workout in Honor of Late Brother

By Potomac Local News

DUMFRIES, Va. – Dumfries Mayor Derrick Wood invited the community to join him for a workout event just days after the unexpected death of his younger brother, 37-year-old Darron Smith.

Smith passed away suddenly on Saturday, May 2, 2025. In a heartfelt message, Mayor Wood described his brother as someone born for greatness—sharing a birthday with Super Bowl legend Doug Williams—and a constant presence in his life. “We shared so many moments side by side—from family to food trucks to faith,” Wood wrote. “And now my heart is broken.”

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