A new hospital set to open in Isle of Wight County in January will cut the travel time for residents of Western Tidewater, who have long had to drive for half an hour or more for full-service emergency and inpatient care.
Riverside Smithfield Hospital was first proposed in mid-2021, after Riverside had owned the property outside the Town of Smithfield for several years, but the project got caught up in regulatory disputes over new hospital proposals in Hampton Roads.
When it’s finally ready to start accepting patients in January 2026, the new facility will open with 50 inpatient beds, four operating rooms and a 24-hour emergency department.
Riverside Smithfield Hospital President Jessica Macalino said the new services will close a major gap…