Over the last several years, Centra Lynchburg General Hospital has made advancements in technology, providers, and patient care to expand access and improve emergency services. The Centra Foundation has been pivotal in supporting many of these advancements.
Below are some of the initiatives that have been made in the Lynchburg Emergency Department:
A Focus on Pediatrics
Centra Lynchburg General Hospital is recognized as a Level II trauma center, and it is engaged in the National Pediatric Readiness Project (NPRP) Assessment, achieving an impressive score of 92 out of 100 in 2023. This initiative, which is designed to enhance emergency care in U.S. hospitals, assesses readiness through comprehensive evaluations of care coordination, personnel, quality improvement, patient safety, policies, procedures, and the availability of essential equipment. The Pediatric Unit and the Emergency Department at Lynchburg General treated over 7,000 pediatric patients last year alone. All of these initiatives were supported through the Centra Foundation:
- Pediatric sensory cart
- Age-appropriate toys & activities for pediatric patients to use in the emergency department include fidget spinners, card games, and video game kiosks. Centra is now one of over 450 hospitals nationwide using the kiosks.
- Two Panda™ Warmers are used in the emergency department to provide babies with integrated technology solutions such as lighting controls, temperature controls, and a quiet environment.
- Car seat program – Offers funding for Caregivers to purchase car seats for families upon discharge who, due to extenuating circumstances, do not have a safe seat for infants or young children. This may be especially needed after parents attend the emergency department after a car accident and the car seat is no longer usable.
Innovations in Mental Health Services
As demonstrated by the 2021 Community Health Needs Assessment, mental health continues to rank among the top health concerns affecting communities across central Virginia. Centra Emergency Services and the psychiatry & behavioral health team devised solutions to reduce the need for extended emergency department stays.
- EmPATH Unit: In 2023, Centra opened the first EmPATH unit in Virginia, supported by the Centra Foundation. EmPATH, which stands for Emergency Psychiatric Assessment, Treatment, and Healing, is a new approach to long-standing care challenges for Emergency Department patients with behavioral health issues. Located inside the Lynchburg General Hospital Emergency Department, the EmPATH Unit is thoughtfully designed to eliminate the sense of isolation and extended wait times often faced by patients. Within this innovative environment, patients find solace in a communal, open space where they can engage with a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals, behavioral health experts, and fellow patients for mutual support. In year two, the average length of stay within the EmPATH Unit is only 14 hours, and 82% of patients can be discharged from EmPATH instead of being admitted to an inpatient unit. This number stands in stark contrast to prior numbers. Before EmPATH opened, only 36.3% of psychiatric patients were able to be discharged from the emergency department without being admitted.
- At the end of 2024, Centra opened Piedmont Psychiatric Adult Urgent Care (PPAUC), located inside Virginia Baptist Hospital. PPAUC is a specialty urgent care center for adults aged 18 and older experiencing mental health concerns. During the appointment, the patient will meet with a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner to discuss follow-up psychiatric appointments or make appropriate referrals based on the required level of care. This new type of psychiatric service in the region will also relieve Centra's emergency departments by being a bridge to services formerly only available through the ER.
Technology & Process Advancements
- Centra consistently invests in new technologies and improves processes to reduce patient wait times and accessibility. Below are some examples of how Centra is updating its technology and improving processes.
- Additional CT Scanners—Centra Lynchburg General Hospital recently purchased a third CT scanner, which allows it to move patients through the emergency department quicker.
- Stroke improvement – Centra is one of the busiest stroke centers in the state. Centra has partnered with Sevaro to provide innovative telemedicine services designed to provide excellent stroke care in our emergency rooms and all inpatient spaces. The technology uses precise cameras to allow a neurologist in another location to complete a full neurological assessment of the patient, even zooming in to see the constriction of their pupils. Sevaro helps healthcare systems eliminate gaps in coverage by providing a U.S.-based neurologist who is vascular or neuro-critical care trained on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- Improved triage process and additional physicians— With an updated Triage process to see patients quicker, Centra established PIT doctors (physicians in triage) to start lab work earlier to shorten their stays. Additionally, after COVID and a national healthcare worker shortage, Centra’s recruitment teams worked diligently with additional emergency department providers to meet team capacity.
