By Shea Wright 

With patient-centered care at the heart of every decision we make, VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital (CMH) spent this year expanding options for our community. From launching a rural Family Medicine Residency Program that is attracting more community-based providers to installing state-of-the-art radiation therapy for advanced cancer detection and treatment, we are bringing more services to our residents who need them most.  

“These investments reflect our commitment to improving access, reducing barriers, and keeping care local while delivering the same level of innovation and expertise you’d expect from VCU Health,” said Sheldon Barr, president of VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital. 

As 2025 draws to a close, we are reflecting on the milestones of our team members and patients at CMH.

From left to right: Aneela Ijaz, M.D., medical resident; Laure Gill, residency program administrative specialist; attending physicians Sandra Balmoria, M.D., and Mahmethann Shadid, M.D., and Khalifa Al-Sulaiti, M.D., medical resident. (Contributed photo)

VCU launches a new rural family medicine residency program

CMH welcomed the first cohort of its Family Medicine Residency Program, a new rural track designed to combine the expertise of a growing community-based hospital with VCU’s Department of Family Medicine. Two residents relocated to South Hill in July and began caring for patients while engaging in multidisciplinary training opportunities.  

This program not only strengthens physician education, but it also helps to recruit and retain providers at rural hospitals.   

“I don’t know how many family doctors in urban areas can say they’ve delivered a baby one day, assisted with minimally invasive surgery the next day, and then spent time in the emergency department. At CMH, we get to be part of it all,” said Aneela Ijaz, M.D., a current resident in the program.  

Expanding virtual care services for rural residents 

Earlier this year, CMH made the jump into virtual care with secure, clinic-to-clinic video visits through the MyChart patient portal. This service connects patients in Southside Virginia and Warren County, North Carolina, with specialists in Richmond, ensuring they can receive expert care close to home without sacrificing quality. At the heart of each appointment is a licensed practical nurse and virtual care trainer, who supports patients every step of the way.

Caitlin Crowder, a patient and registered nurse at VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital, is grateful for the minimally invasive robotic procedure that helped her to quickly recover after having her gallbladder removed. (Shea Wright, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

Robotics surgery is helping patients return to their lives faster

In the past, patients who needed their gallbladder removed, hernia repairs or other general surgeries had to travel at least an hour away and stay overnight in the hospital. Now, those living in the southern parts of Virginia don’t have to go so far. CMH expanded minimally invasive robotics surgery options this year, which is reducing recovery time, pain, stress and keeping patients near their support systems.   

As part of VCU Health’s commitment to robotic innovations, CMH’s capabilities not only enhance patient outcomes but also help recruit and retain skilled physicians, strengthening access to high-quality care in rural areas. 

Major investments in cancer care 

CMH and VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center introduced the Varian HyperSight TrueBeam radiation therapy system — the only one of its kind in southern Virginia — at the Solari Radiation Therapy Center in South Hill. Representing a major step forward in cancer care for our community, this advanced technology delivers faster, more precise imaging and treatment, enabling physicians to target tumors while protecting healthy tissue. In addition, it expands the range of cancers that can be treated at CMH. 

“This technology is more than installing a new machine. It’s about expanding the range of cancers we can treat with improved image quality, precision and speed while minimizing patient discomfort. It’s about saving lives, and opening the door for future innovation, all while keeping patients closer to home and their support systems,” Barr said.  

Addressing barriers to care with mobile health and wellness 

Through a partnership with the VCU School of Nursing’s Mobile Health and Wellness program, two nurse practitioners provide weekly essential services at CMH’s Thomas W. Leggett Center. Patients can receive blood pressure screenings, medication management, mental health support, nutrition coaching, and smoking cessation resources. The program also connects patients to community services like food assistance and free or reduced-cost eyeglasses. 

The VCU School of Nursing Mobile Health and Wellness Program operates weekly at VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital's Thomas Leggett Center. (Carrie Poythress, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

As we look back at our accomplishments in 2025, it’s important to give thanks to those who make this work possible. To our patients, thank you for trusting us with your care. To our team members, thank you for your unwavering dedication to our patients and the community each and every day. And to our community, we are grateful that you support CMH and our mission to preserve and restore the health for all people of Virginia and beyond.  

In 2026, we look forward to another exciting year of serving South Hill by meeting patients where they are and connecting them with world-class medical care, closer to home. 

Celebrating hope, healing and community: Happy holidays from VCU Health

Reflecting on a year of growth: VCU Health continues to expand access and meet patients where they are.