CHAPEL HILL, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Officials from Onslow Memorial Hospital and UNC Health Care announced that they are finalizing a management agreement that will begin in January.
“We are excited about our relationship with UNC Health Care because their clinical and operational expertise will be a tremendous asset to Onslow. We anticipate achieving additional cost savings and enhanced clinical services for our patients,” said Penney Burlingame Deal, president and CEO of Onslow Memorial.
“Our board has been very thorough finding us the right partner, and we believe this agreement will allow for the continued success of Onslow in meeting the needs of our community,” Burlingame Deal said.
This agreement does not involve any sale or exchange of assets and allows Onslow Memorial Hospital to maintain local governance. Employees will remain employees of Onslow Memorial.
The agreement follows many months of careful consideration by the Onslow County Hospital Authority Board on how to strengthen its position as a community hospital.
“We welcome this partnership with Onslow Memorial, a community hospital known for providing excellent care for patients,” said Dr. Bill Roper, CEO of UNC Health Care and Dean of the UNC School of Medicine. “Leveraging the clinical and operational expertise from UNC Health will assist Onslow Memorial’s ability to stabilize and expand their local service offerings. We will also work together to improve access to nationally renowned research initiatives though the UNC School of Medicine and Medical Center in Chapel Hill.”
Roper’s comments were echoed by Dr. A. Wesley Burks, executive dean for the UNC School of Medicine and a member of UNC Health Care’s senior leadership team. Burks will succeed Roper as CEO and Dean in January. “As North Carolina’s health care system, we are committed to help provide the highest level of health care possible to the citizens of this state,” Burks said. “We are very pleased to be working with Onslow Memorial in serving the people of southeastern North Carolina.”
According to Onslow Memorial Hospital officials, some of the primary benefits of this agreement include:
- Expansion of locally available hospital and community-based patient care services to enhance patient care
- Improved patient experience and satisfaction
- Enhanced operational efficiency and cost savings
- Recruitment of locally based, highly trained and skilled physicians
- Access to innovative research and treatments at UNC Health Care
About Onslow Memorial Hospital
With approximately 1,100 employees and over 150 medical providers on staff, Onslow Memorial Hospital is a 162-bed acute care hospital located in Jacksonville, NC and proudly serves the Onslow County area. Onslow Memorial Hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® and Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers in addition to being accredited by the Commission on Cancer.
About UNC Health Care
UNC Health Care is an integrated health care system owned by the state of North Carolina and based in Chapel Hill. It exists to further the teaching mission of the University of North Carolina and to provide state-of-the-art patient care.
UNC Health Care is comprised of UNC Hospitals at Chapel Hill, ranked consistently among the best medical centers in the country; the UNC School of Medicine, a nationally eminent research institution; Pardee UNC Health Care in Hendersonville; Chatham Hospital in Siler City; Johnston Health in Clayton and Smithfield; UNC Lenoir Health Care in Kinston; Wayne UNC Health Care in Goldsboro; Caldwell UNC Health Care in Lenoir; Nash UNC Health Care in Rocky Mount; UNC Rockingham Health Care in Eden, UNC REX Healthcare and its provider network in Wake County; and the UNC Physicians Network.
For more information, please visit www.unchealthcare.org.
