Norfolk, VA-based Sentara Healthcare to merge with Potomac Hospital

Potomac Hospital plans to merge with Norfolk, VA-based Sentara Healthcare to meet the demands of the community in a tough economic time, hospital officials said. Potomac Hospital officials began looking for a partner earlier this year, sorting through 29 organizations before selecting Sentara. The partnership is necessary to keep the Woodbridge, VA, nonprofit hospital afloat as reimbursements shrink and more uninsured patients seek medical attention, said Potomac Hospital spokeswoman Charlene Wilkins. Wilkins noted that the hospital's operating expenses last year were nearly $177 million.