Sentara Health Case StudyEnhancing healthcare excellence: improving patient access and driving business growth with PETNET Solutions

Discover how one regional healthcare system in Hampton Roads, Virginia, USA expanded its imaging capabilities and improved patient care by leveraging the industry’s broadest portfolio of PET/CT tracers from PETNET Solutions Inc, A Siemens Healthineers Company.

In the ever-evolving landscape of today’s healthcare, advanced imaging centers often find themselves at the intersection of remarkable growth opportunities and the necessity to embrace emerging technologies. Approximately two decades ago, Sentara Health, one of the largest health systems in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic and Southeast and dedicated to serving the Hampton Roads, embarked on a joint venture with US Oncology to enhance community health by introducing PET/CT imaging services. The PET/CT program was modest at its inception, comprising of a single mobile unit and two technologists conducting four to five PET/CT scans daily. However, as the department became busier, it was evident there was a need to expand PET/CT services and improve patient care access within their community. 

“We were having issues and concerns with our workflow and operations in the department,” says Frances Vargas, regional PET/CT imaging manager for Sentara Health. “With our growing backlog and limited access to increasingly demanded novel radiotracers, we began looking at options, and that is when one of our technologists suggested PETNET Solutions.” After considering other providers, leadership recognized the benefits of having both Siemens Healthineers equipment and PETNET Solutions, acknowledging the synergies and advantages offered by both, making the decision an easy one. 

In 2016, when Sentara Health chose PETNET Solutions as their PET/CT tracer provider, they soon discovered PETNET Solutions was providing more than a dose. “When I started working with PETNET Solutions, we asked how late can we get a dose? How early? Can we get a dose on Saturday? On Sunday? I couldn’t believe this was real, that this service was available to us; it was very different in a very good way,” stated Vargas.

Sentara has partnered with PETNET Solutions for more than a decade to bring novel tracers to their patients. Sentara ordered their first specialty drug in 2013 and continue to work closely with the PETNET Solutions team to expand their offerings. PETNET Solutions provides the industry’s broadest portfolio of PET/CT tracers, allowing Sentara to participate in over 10 clinical research trials and multiple investigative studies through 2023, while providing increased access to novel tracers for the local community. “Physicians have options to send patients elsewhere but choose Sentara because of our state-of-the-art Siemens Healthineers equipment, quality images, and comprehensive offering of PET/CT exams,” Vargas stated.

The utilization of PET/CT imaging continues to outpace the ability of many imaging centers to adapt to the changing landscape and with the number of new tracers entering the market, often leads to growing backlogs. When Sentara looked to the future, the Sentara Brock Cancer Center building was slotted to open in June 2020, providing increased PET/CT imaging slots with the addition of a fixed Siemens Healthineers Biograph™ mCT 40 PET/CT scanner. At that time, Sentara anticipated patient growth and wanted to ensure their high-energy tracer needs would be met. To serve the growing patient demand in the region, the PETNET Solutions team also expanded their staff and resources. However, due to the pandemic, like many other imaging facilities, Sentara faced safety guidelines and restrictions requiring strict protocols for social distancing. “We had to think of how to serve the same number of patients but still maintain the COVID restrictions,” Vargas stated. Sentara modified their procedures, which led to scanning patients seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. These expanded hours were supported by PETNET Solutions until the Sentara Brock Cancer Center opened and increased the number of imaging slots, thus allowing the center to return to more normal operating hours by July 2020. 

PETNET Solutions’ adherence to quality, ability to deliver during extended hours, accessibility to an array of PET tracers, and willingness to work side by side to serve patients better, contributed to the overall growth during this time. “PETNET Solutions understands the need, the urgency, and we both have the common goal of servicing our patients, making us confident that PETNET Solutions would continue to be a trusted partner for the years to come,” stated Vargas. 

In early 2022, Sentara faced additional challenges that resulted in a four-week backlog for Fludeoxyglucose F 18 Injection (18F FDG) scans and scheduling for specialty drugs depended on the type and complexity of the exam. Once more, Sentara identified a need for change and collaborated with PETNET Solutions to expand hours to weeknights and weekends   at all locations and pursued the purchase of a new PET/CT scanner. 

Sentara installed a new Siemens Healthineers Biograph Vision™ 450 mobile unit, in December 2023, resulting in a higher patient throughput. The reduced wait times for patients needing an ¹⁸F FDG or specialty drug PET/CT scan could potentially lead to earlier detection and better patient outcomes. Sentara’s comprehensive suite of imaging services and access to PETNET Solutions broad portfolio offers a competitive advantage by attracting new patients and physicians seeking advanced diagnostic capabilities. (Figure 1 and 2) 

PETNET Solutions is unwavering in its commitment to being a dependable partner, supporting Sentara Health’s mission to adopt the latest medical technologies and improve access to healthcare. “Our goal and passion are to provide the best care for our community, patients, and providers. Collaborating with PETNET Solutions has enhanced our processes and workflow and has positively impacted our financial performance, allowing us to expand our services. This exemplifies the power of teamwork in action; our sustained success would not have been possible without the valuable partnership with PETNET Solutions,” believes Vargas. 

Fast forward to today, Sentara Health has evolved into an expansive network encompassing seven sites, equipped with two mobile units, and a dedicated PET/CT facility at the Sentara Brock Cancer Center. Within nine months, wait times improved by over 95%, significantly reducing the backlog. “Last month, we had no patients waiting for an earlier appointment, and we did that by expanding to weekends, evening time, and longer operational hours and certainly had to have PETNET Solutions support on that,” explained Shannon Kriz, regional director, Radiation Services, Sentara Health. PETNET Solutions fuels the power of PET with access to diverse PET radiopharmaceuticals, seamless delivery, and expert support, allowing imaging centers to focus on what is most important: their patients.