Advancing the Standard of Care, One Upgrade at a Time

Technology and intentionally designed, collaborative spaces enhance our research, teaching missions and, ultimately, the quality of care we offer the Richmond community.

Across the system, we are making massive investments to upgrade its facilities and systems. The opening of the Adult Outpatient Pavilion marks the start of systemwide improvements not only to patient experience, but also to software and technology that support that experience and continue our reputation for high-quality and innovative care.

As an academic medical center, we prioritize serving our patients with the best tools available. “Our providers want their patients to be treated in the most efficient manner, with the highest quality of care,” says Katie Barnes, MPA, CPC, Vice President of the oncology service line. “With a new building that houses more advanced capabilities and technology as well as the best level of treatment and educational knowledge we already have at VCU Health, I can rest easy knowing our patients will have the best outcomes.”

How new technology sets our outpatient care apart - and broadens our reach

Indeed, we’ve brought all new equipment into the new outpatient building, including MRIs, PET-CTs and X-ray machines, so the latest improvements to diagnostics, treatments and experiences will be available for outpatient care. But we’re even expanding to technologies we’ve never had before, particularly to treat those with advanced diseases and prognoses. With the opening of the Adult Outpatient Pavilion, VCU Health becomes the only facility between Pennsylvania and Florida that can use advanced imaging to guide radiation with a new ViewRay MRI-guided radiotherapy machine and two new medical linear accelerators (LINAC) to help directly target tumors during treatment and spare more healthy cells.

Access to the latest, most innovative technology not only provides more advanced treatment options for our patients, but it also helps us attract the best and brightest minds to Richmond who want to help provide these treatments and research even more advancements to improve the health of our community. The new technology at the Adult Outpatient Pavilion will also support the expansion of our clinical trials. By scaling these trials, we will further our reach and impact across a diverse group of patients and continue to raise the standard of care.

“The new technology we’re bringing in allows us to offer so much more to so many more than we have before. It widens the scale and scope of the folks we’re trying to serve,” says Robert A. Winn, MD, Director and Lipman Chair in Oncology, VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center. “The more advanced treatments and technology we can offer, the more we can reach additional populations a bit better.”

To reach even further into Virginia, the Adult Outpatient Pavilion itself is designed to improve the telehealth experience between doctors and patients. The facility includes telehealth suites — designated areas where providers can step away from their clinic and provide their patients with an attentive, distraction-free and personalized experience.

Optimizing care with new communication systems

To facilitate communication between providers and an interconnected health records system, we have adopted Epic, a cloud-based, patient-centric electronic health record (HER). This cross-system EHR will also connect our doctors with every health system in the country, improving communication and enhancing quality of care. A brand-new patient portal called MyChart will host a suite of functions and tools to make it easy for patients to view their medical records, labs and test results. MyChart integrates with Epic to allow patients to self-schedule and request new appointments, request prescription refills, pay their medical bills and receive telehealth services seamlessly.

These upgrades elevate the Adult Outpatient Pavilion beyond simply being a new facility — it’s a tangible demonstration of the way healthcare should be. Through cutting-edge technology and thoughtful treatment spaces for clinicians and patients, we will continue to provide patient-centered, pioneering medicine and research for the greater Richmond community.