Sentara Opens New Behavioral Health Care Unit

Circle Connections: New Products & Services Sentara announced the opening of a 24-bed behavioral health unit at Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital on Wednesday, Dec. 18. The unit includes 16 geriatric beds and 8 general adult beds. It's hoped that the addition will reduce Emergency Room holding times for psychiatric patients. The number of patients seeking psychiatric services through the emergency department at the hospital has increased 111 percent since 2006: 1,802 in 2010; 2,118 in 2011; 2,359 in 2012 and a projected 2,522 in 2013. "Psychiatric patients waiting for a bed for days . . .