Riverside Health Systems

Riverside health systems includes five general hospitals, three specialty hospitals, and over one hundred other facilities, including doctor’s offices, outpatient services, behavioral health centers, therapy clinics, and wellness centers located though out the Tidewater area of Virginia.

In 1915, while religious health systems such as Bon Secours were becoming established, the need for a non-sectarian hospital was becoming evident. In 1916, the 50-bed Newport News General and Non- Sectarian Hospital, Inc. was opened on Huntington Avenue in Newport News. In 1921, the name was changed to Riverside Hospital.

Today Riverside Health Systems is managed by a voluntary board of trustees and employs over 7,000 people. In 2007, it was recognized for its exceptional use of technology in addressing patient care, safety, and business practices by being awarded the “Most Wired Award.”

Riverside maintains 11 specialty services, including: Aging Related Cancer Emergency & Trauma Ear, Nose and Throat Gastroenterology Heart & Vascular Neurology Neurosciences Orthopedics Primary Care Women & Infant Care

In addition to its patient care facilities, River Health System also includes two Wellness and Fitness Centers on the Peninsula. Members have access to services and activities including: Exercise equipment Group exercise Swimming pool and swim lessons Health assessment and education Massage therapy Cardiac rehab and physical therapy Indoor and outdoor tennis Racquet ball courts Youth programs

Riverside also features a team of neuro specialists to address brain and spinal cord injury, stroke, and tumors. Riverside uses state of the art imaging and treatments, including relatively non- invasive techniques such as Gamma knife radiosurgery and deep brain stimulation. The neuroscience department includes neurosurgeons, neurorehabilitation specialists, and neurovascular specialists.

Physician Spotlight Ron Gharbo, DO Dr. Gharbo is a neurorehabilitation specialist in the Neurscience department at Riverside Health Systems. Dr. Gharbo received is Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Ohio State University and has served on the Physicians for Peace as well as Doctors without Borders. Dr. Gharbo’s approach is holistic, faithful to the spirit of osteopathic medicine and includes a whole body consideration in addressing a disease. As an osteopath, he has been extensively trained in osteopathic manual manipulation and uses it as one of the many tools in his treatment repertoire. As part of a rehabilitation team, he works closely with psychiatrists, physical therapists, occupational therapist, and rehab nurses.

Riverside also has an extensive cancer treatment department, which includes the Riverside Cancer Treatment facility, an outpatient cancer treatment clinic, as well as The Pavilion, an addition to the regional medical center featuring 72 private patient rooms and operating rooms. Integrative medicine is incorporated in the treatment, blending state of the art procedures with evidence-based complementary modalities to treat the entire person, not just the disease.

Riverside’s website features an online health service where the public can get information related to diseases and medical conditions or information on how to add more health to one’s life. The site even includes healthy recipes for individuals wanting to learn healthy cooking options for them selves or their families.

With the increased importance of establish a medical home, the Riverside website makes it easy to fins and establish a relationship with a primary care provider. Riverside includes over 350 primary care physicians working in clinics throughout the Peninsula and Williamsburg area. Establishing a medical home and a relationship with a primary care physician not only benefits the patient by increasing congruency and efficiency of health care delivery, but also saves money in the health care system by reducing visits and excess burden on emergency departments.

Riverside also feature virtual hospital visits where, for $49, a patient can have access to a physician 24/7 without an appointment simply by downloading an app on their smart phone.

Payments accepted by Riverside Health Systems include most major insurance policies, including HMO and PPO plans. In addition, eligible patients may use benefits from Medicare or Medicaid. Those without insurance coverage may pay by check, money order, Credit Card, or cash. Riverside offers care coordinators to assist patients in applying for Medicaid benefits or other government programs offering financial assistance. In addition, financial coordinators are able to assist in working out financial agreements with patients.