The Roanoke Valley is the medical center of western Virginia, serving an estimated 700,000 people. The area offers state-of-the-art cardiac and cancer diagnosis and care, as well as a Level I Trauma Center and more.
Included in the health care system of the Roanoke Valley are three major hospitals, a Veterans Administration medical facility and numerous satellite and treatment centers, collectively employing over 12,000 people.
In 2007, the cost of health care in Roanoke ranked below the national average, with charges only 94.9% of the national scale of 100%, a further example of the combination of high quality of life and low cost of living in Roanoke.
Rounding out the health care offerings in the Roanoke Valley are the many opportunities for medical education through 2- and 4-year degree programs and extended studies at colleges, universities, and training facilities.
Carilion Clinic
Carilion is a regional, nonprofit health care system serving western Virginia through 10 hospitals, two of which are located in Roanoke. These two hospitals currently offer a total of 825 beds. The System employs over 10,000 healthcare professionals, including 209 primary care physicians and surgeons. Serving as a major teaching affiliate of the University of Virginia School of Medicine for over 25 years, Carilion offers comprehensive Medical Education programs available in western Virginia with 103 full-time faculty physicians and 147medical residents.
Carilion Clinic and Virginia Tech will combine the strengths of each institution to form a new medical school. Virginia Tech’s bioinformatics, computer science and engineering programs will support a specialized M.D. and master’s program with a five-year curriculum. The partnership will bring essential funding to the area and result in economic growth of the region. The medical school will be located in Riverside Center on the Carilion Clinic campus.
As the region's local healthcare partner, Carilion Clinic provides a network that reinvests its earnings to provide local convenience and easy access to care. In 2006 the Carilion Foundation awarded more than $3 million in grants to 55 non-profit community organizations.
Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital (CRCH) takes a family-centered approach to healthcare, as the region's leading referral source for women's and children's care. Patients have access to nearby specialty clinics, family medical centers and a host of personalized treatment options. CRCH also maintains a 24-hour-a-day emergency room, supplemented by a new, specially designed service for less severe illnesses and injuries.
The facility offers comprehensive healthcare services featuring the
following:
Cardiac Care
Carilion Medical Center for Children
Clinics
Emergency Services
Home Care Services
Medical Center Pharmacy
Nurseries
Prevention, Education and Early Detection
Radiology
Rehabilitation
Sleep Disorders Center
Surgery
Women’s Services
Wound Care Center
Lewis-Gale Medical Center
Veterans Affairs Medical Center
The Salem VAMC is a primary teaching hospital for two medical schools; the University of Virginia School of Medicine, and the Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Medical residents from the University of Virginia and Carilion Clinic train in surgery, internal medicine, psychiatry, family practice, and ophthalmology. Salem VAMC has interns or residents in pharmacy, podiatry, and psychology as well, and train nurses from Virginia Western Community College, Radford University, the University of Virginia, and ECPI. Training is provided for over 500 students and residents from over 60 health career programs across the country.
Catawba Hospital
Catawba Hospital specializes in serving adults who need mental health care. The hospital offers both short-term "acute care" units and dedicated geriatric units. Catawba Hospital is affiliated with the University of Virginia School of Medicine, where staff psychiatrists may have faculty appointments and help train psychiatry residents and medical students. A clinical practicum is available for students of various disciplines to include nursing, psychology, social work, music therapy, recreation therapy, and food and nutritional services.