In January 2021, VCU Health acquired Riverside Tappahannock Hospital with the goal of bringing the benefits of academic health care from Richmond to the Northern Neck — a rural area on the northern shore of the Chesapeake Bay.

It’s no secret that health disparities exist in rural communities. Lower socioeconomic status, geographic isolation and limited access to health care specialists contribute to these disparities. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, rural Americans are more likely to die from heart disease, cancer, unintentional injury, chronic lower respiratory disease and stroke than their urban counterparts.

VCU Health is working to bridge this gap — specifically when it comes to providing high quality health care as close to home as possible for the Tappahannock community. This care includes specialty areas such as cancer and cardiology.

As the one-year anniversary of VCU Health Tappahannock Hospital approaches, we spoke with Dr. Michael Lenhart, director of clinical operations at Pauley Heart Center at Tappahannock, to learn more about heart care at Tappahannock and what makes the center unique.  

What types of patient care does Pauley Heart Center at Tappahannock offer?

We have five cardiologists and a nurse practitioner who provide residents with easy access to cardiology services. We are able to provide immediate care for patients experiencing cardiovascular problems, including;

• Coronary artery disease
• Congestive heart failure
• Heart rhythm disorders
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)

We also offer cardiology diagnostic services for the evaluation and management of heart conditions. These include an electrocardiogram (ECG), blood work, echocardiograms, nuclear medicine studies, stress testing and Holter monitoring.

What makes Pauley Heart Center at Tappahannock special?

Having the Pauley Heart Center in Tappahannock allows us to be part of the community by providing advanced cardiovascular care close to home. Many cardiovascular problems can be managed locally with the help of the excellent primary community already present. For the more complex cases, we can facilitate transitioning care to VCU Health in Richmond.

What are you most proud of in your first year of operation?

It’s important to note that our team works in both the clinic and the hospital. In the clinic, we see both new and follow-up appointments. We also have easy access to the hospital, which allows our doctors to see more critically ill patients in a timely manner.

I’m really proud of the relationships and trust we’ve been able to develop with the hospital staff and local health care providers. Our mission is to continue advancing the level of cardiovascular care that currently exists in the community.

In addition to the anniversary, we know that February is American Heart Month. Is there anything you’d like to add about Heart Month?

Every month is heart month for us at Pauley Heart Center, but February is a great time for everyone to focus on heart health. We know that heart disease has been the leading cause of death for decades, killing more than 650,000 people each year. We continue to stress the importance of routine care, as many of these deaths can be prevented with early action and intervention.

What do you see for the future of Pauley Heart Center at Tappahannock?

We are looking forward to expanding cardiovascular care services in Tappahannock. We plan to incorporate more inpatient care, medical imaging with CT and MRI, and initiate a clinic that can provide services to patients with implanted pacemakers and defibrillators.  

We are also excited to expand our physical space, which means increasing the number of patients we can see each day.

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