by Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt

The need for emergency medical care at Lake Anna seems to be approaching a critical mass. A growing coalition of Lake Anna residents have been working to address a longstanding concern: the absence of a local healthcare facility in one of Virginia’s most popular lake communities. Advocates – including retirees, medical professionals, and community leaders – are seeking solutions despite years of setbacks and regulatory hurdles. Now they are asking more people to join them.

A Persistent Healthcare Gap

Advocate Susan Biondi, a retired registered nurse who worked in critical care for 25 years and who lives in Spotsylvania County, recalls several incidents during her early years at Lake Anna that highlight the critical need for a nearby Freestanding Emergency Department (FSED).

“EMS can only do so much, and if time is of the essence, they need to medevac,” Biondi said, referencing serious injuries on the lake that have required helicopter transport to trauma-designated hospitals.

The “golden hour” is a critical concept in emergency medicine, especially in trauma care, she explained. It refers to the first 60 minutes following a traumatic injury in which prompt medical treatment is believed to offer the best chance of survival and optimal outcomes. The idea is that rapid intervention such as controlling bleeding, restoring breathing, and stabilizing vital signs can significantly reduce the risk of death or long-term complications.

For example, one 11-year-old girl was tubing on Lake Anna and crashed headfirst into a dock. Another time, a 15-year-old crashed a jet ski. Both times, Biondi was nearby and intervened, drawing from her experience as a nurse. Both events required medevac transport to a trauma center.  Local EMS units who responded said it would take too long to transport individuals to a hospital by ground.

“It makes sense to have a freestanding ED [emergency department],” Biondi said. “If they are worried there are not enough rooftops, as they say, referring to population, they are missing out on all the people who vacation here year-round. Those people could be using the ancillary equipment year-round, such as x-ray, MRI, laboratory, CT and ultrasound. There is an increasing number of people projected to move into the area in the next few years as hundreds of new homes are being planned right now, including the 900 units planned in the new Tributor Resort at Lake Anna.”

She added that there are many events in the community such as triathlons, 5K, and 10K races – in addition to boating and lake activities – where the potential need for medical care is heightened. 

Engagement with Providers and Developers

On June 14, 2024, Biondi – who has also served as the elected secretary of the Lake Anna Civic Association (LACA) for the last 15 years – attended a meeting with local residents. Three of the people at this gathering were nurses, and others in attendance included members of LACA’s Safety and Emergency Services Committee and concerned citizens.

The group compared urgent care centers and FSEDs, noting that a certificate of need from the state of Virginia is required for the latter. Discussions included the challenges of ambulance travel times. The nearest hospital is at least 29 miles from the lake’s center, with other facilities 32 to 42 miles away. Ambulances – which cannot transport patients to urgent care centers – may be out of service for extended periods after lengthy round-trips. 

Biondi said one of the main concerns and differences between an urgent care facility and a freestanding emergency department is that urgent care has limited hours, a limited number of services, and is most likely closed during the evening until dawn.  “An emergency department is open 24/7/365,” she emphasized.

The group also addressed technicalities such as location, development proffers, and the importance of involving Boards of Supervisors from local counties in future discussions. With approximately 50,000 annual visitors to Lake Anna State Park and a growing full-time retirement population, attendees argued that the demand justifies a local emergency care facility.

A follow-up meeting on July 1, 2024 included several county supervisors. Participants learned that UVA Healthcare had not responded to inquiries about expanding services into the area.

According to a February 2025 article in The Central Virginian, The M Group Real Estate agency – led by Melanie Lucero and her husband Mike Boyce – has offered a commercial development on Route 208 as a potential site. Their proposed 90,000-square-foot complex on 15 acres east of the Mineral Food Lion has completed wetland and survey work, and plans are being finalized for submission to builders. They are committed to developing the complex and leasing space to a healthcare provider, with hopes that the building will be complete by early 2026 (pending permits).

Lucero and Boyce have reached out to major healthcare providers about establishing an urgent care center in their facility. Most responses cited an insufficient year-round population to sustain operations. Nonetheless, they intend to include additional office space to attract physician practices and ancillary services such as imaging, laboratory, and radiology, which could support the facility during the slower winter months.

Community feedback has been robust. A Belmont Center meeting hosted by Lucero and Boyce saw overwhelming local support for a healthcare facility. Boyce shared a personal account of suffering a heart attack elsewhere, stating that his outcome might have been different if it had occurred at Lake Anna due to the lack of urgent care.

Local Medical Services: Current Offerings and Limitations

Rachel Farrar, FNP, PMHNP, owns Lake Anna Integrative Care in Mineral and offers same-day appointments for primary care and minor illnesses. The office conducts basic in-house testing but does not manage emergencies, fractures, or provide on-site imaging.

“For true emergencies such as chest pain, stroke symptoms, and abdominal pain, people should go to the nearest emergency department. We are not equipped to treat those,” Farrar explained. Currently, the practice does not accept insurance for visits, though ordered labs and imaging can be billed through patients’ insurance providers.

In January 2026, UVA Health released a press release describing its expansion in Louisa County to increase access to primary and specialty care for Central Virginia residents. UVA Medical Park Zion Crossroads brings an estimated 50,000 additional appointment slots annually. However, emergency room care is still not available.

“We want to ensure patients can receive the highest-quality care at a time and place that is convenient for them,” said Mitchell Rosner, MD, chief executive officer for UVA Health and executive vice president for health affairs at the University of Virginia. “This additional space at Zion Crossroads will enable us to serve significantly more patients in a welcoming environment.”

Almost 12,000 square feet on the second floor of the medical park was built out to add 30 exam and consult rooms along with a laboratory suite for blood testing. In addition to expanding access to existing services, the space enables UVA Health to add adult allergy and inflammatory bowel disease care.

“A key component of our 10-year strategic plan is easy access to care for the patients we serve across Virginia and beyond,” said Jason Lineen, UVA Health’s chief strategy officer. “This expansion at Zion Crossroads is an important step in achieving that goal.”

Advocacy and Community Voices

The campaign for emergency care at Lake Anna is not new. In 2022, a LACA survey of nearly 900 people showed significant concern about the lack of local emergency services. The issue gained urgency in 2023 when a neighbor of resident Kimberly Wolfe nearly died from a stroke, motivating her to mobilize community action. What began as a small luncheon expanded into a broader effort, including appearances before county boards and outreach to state legislators.

Despite these efforts, county supervisors from Spotsylvania and Louisa have cited insufficient population density as a barrier to securing a certificate of need for a new FSED or urgent care facility. The estimated cost for an urgent care center is $4–5 million, while a FSED could require $15–20 million. Based on seasonal population spikes, advocates estimate the facility could see up to 45 patients per day, short of the 65–75 patients needed for financial viability. Amenities under consideration include CT and MRI imaging, laboratory, ultrasound, and x-ray services.

In the previously-mentioned article in The Central Virginian, Lucero was quoted as saying, “We have gotten a lot of ‘no’s,’ but we do have some good leads right now… this is right in the heart of Lake Anna, and what I’m hearing right now has just been a unanimous desire to have this.”

Regional Context and Legislative Efforts

Community members continue to express strong support for improved healthcare access. James Moore, Jr., a Mineral resident, described the healthcare gap facing the region.

“Currently, the closest acute care hospital facilities to my home are as follows. Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center: 31 miles. UVA Culpeper Medical Center: 32 miles. Mary Washington Hospital: 32 miles. UVA Medical Center Charlottesville: 47 miles. Fauquier Hospital: 54 miles. Bon Secours Regional Medical Center: 57 miles,” he said.

“With the populations of Orange, Culpeper, Louisa, and western Spotsylvania counties increasing dramatically, as well as aging, it seems like there should be plans underway for the Commonwealth to issue additional hospital Certificates of Need to expand access to acute care services in these areas,” Moore continued. “It’s basically a minimum of a 45-minute drive in any direction for me to get acute care, so even a smaller critical-access hospital with an attached emergency department would be a very welcome addition.”

Moore added that he has reached out to state delegate Philip Scott, who responded that while efforts to reform the Certificate of Need process are ongoing, progress is slow.

Spotsylvania resident Jennifer Holaday also shared her personal challenges.

“We finally just moved down here full-time from Northern Virginia (NoVa),” she said. “We bought our house in 2019. I have some significant health issues. I have stage four breast cancer and travel every three weeks to NoVa for treatment because I love my doctors.”

While every three weeks is not too taxing, she said, “It’s the in-between that is problematic and scary to me. Being immune-compromised and not having any there local to get treated for other things has sent me up to NoVa for fevers and colds or just waiting it out and not seeing anyone at all. Additionally, my mother has recently moved in with us and has been having her own issues. The day before Christmas Eve, I drove her up to an ER in Haymarket for a UTI. It would be amazing to not have to drive for support. We love being down here, but not having good medical care when needed is tough.”

Holaday also noted the significant number of visitors at the lake, not just in the summer, but throughout the year. “Having emergency care at Lake Anna would be equally great to have for those visiting,” she said.

Bumpass resident Judy Alspaugh Beardsworth commented, “It is so needed in our community. Thank you so much for addressing what is probably the most important thing needed at Lake Anna.”

Biondi often volunteers at the Mineral Farmers Market, where LACA participates to recruit new members.  She said that on several occasions, she was told potential newcomers to the lake community are basing their decision on the availability of emergency services and care.

With ongoing meetings, advocacy, and development plans in motion, Lake Anna residents remain determined to secure emergency medical services closer to home. The next steps for advocates include gathering local fire and rescue statistics to further demonstrate the necessity of a local emergency facility.  Biondi said reaching out to surrounding county departments of tourism and acquiring off-season real estate rental statistics are also being considered. 

This is an ongoing situation, and this article is current as of the time of the writing. Cited source: “Urgent Care facility at Lake Anna?” (John Hajduk III, Reporter, The Central Virginian, Feb. 26, 2025)

Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt is a Louisa County resident, author, and award-winning poet. Learn more about her at KatherineGotthardt.com.