HEALTH CARE 

Everyone, even the healthiest people, need access to good health care services, and these are ample here. 

Augusta Medical Center in Fishersville, VA was recognized as one of America's best hospitals in the July 2000, edition of U.S. News and World Report's 11th edition of America's Best Hospitals. Also, it was in the nation's top 100 hospitals and one of the best in the region and the state by a number of other sources. It was named as one of the nation's top 100 hospitals for Orthopedics as well as for Intensive Care and Senior Services.  

And in August 2002, Augusta Medical Center (AMC) was again recognized as one of the nation's "best hospitals" by U.S. News and World Report in the 13th annual edition of "America's Best Hospitals" in several categories including geriatric services, digestive disorders and hormonal disorders. 

AMC is an independent, non-profit, 255 bed primary care facility with more than 225 full-time physicians, over 1,900 employees and over 875 volunteers offering an impressive array of inpatient, outpatient and community-based services. These services include rehabilitation, pain management, behavioral health, cancer treatment, surgical services, cardiac care, pediatrics, radiology and nuclear medicine. AMC offers extensive emergency services, health screenings and health education, drug and alcohol testing, hospice and home health care and smoking cessation classes. 

AMC also provides UrgiCare for minor illnesses and non-urgent cases, supports a number of family practice centers and a pain management center. It has its own cable TV programming on Adelphia Cable, and runs a conference center, medical retail store, health and fitness center and childcare center. Last year, AMC had over 12,000 admissions accounting for 54,000 inpatient days. There were over 50,000 emergency annual visits and over 250,000 outpatient and physician practice visits. 

The hospital is a member of VaLiance Health, an alliance of health care providers located in the region. This partnership enables AMC to collaborate with other independent, community-based centers, ensuring that patients receive not only the best but also the most cost-effective treatment available. 

A number of other health care services are provided through clinics, state agencies and independent physician groups including Staunton/Augusta/ Waynesboro Health Department. 

The Commonwealth of Virginia operates Western State Hospital, which specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders for adults; the Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center, which provides both in and out patient treatment for those with physical disabilities as well as mental disorders, and the DeJarnette Center, which treats children and adolescents with mental and emotional disorders. 

The UVA Health System operates ten local offices in Augusta County, offering internal medical, pediatrics, and family medicine services. The Carilion Medical Group, one of the largest physician practices in Virginia, and the largest primary care group in the state, maintains primary care practices here. 

Specialists in virtually every medical field as well as dentists, optometrists and chiropractors can be found throughout Staunton, Waynesboro and Augusta County. The region also provides residents with mental health clinics, support groups, home health care services, nursing homes, adult day care and independent living centers.