Reflecting on a year of innovation, expanded access to care, academic growth and national recognition
ECU Health marked a year of clinical advancements, record recruitment, expanded access to care, progress in research, academic growth and national recognition in 2024. The health system’s progress demonstrates its unwavering commitment to improving health outcomes for the region’s rural communities.
Together, we accomplished so much in 2024. Some of those highlights are featured below as we reflect on an important year serving eastern North Carolina.
2024
Jan. 31
Outer Banks Health celebrates opening of Cowell Cancer Center
Outer Banks Health is proudly announced the opening of the Carol S. and Edward D. Cowell, Jr. Cancer Center, a 15,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art facility made possible through the collaboration of Outer Banks Health, ECU Health, Chesapeake Regional Healthcare and the generous support of the Outer Banks community. Read more.
March 15
ECU Health celebrates Match Day, welcomes 14 Brody matches to ECU Health Medical Center
Medical students across the country celebrated Match Day and learned where they will spend their residency training as they continue in their physician journey. Locally, all 79 students in the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University Class of 2024 matched, including 14 who stayed in eastern North Carolina to continue their training at ECU Health Medical Center. Read more about Match Day.
March 19
Groundbreaking ceremony marks expansion of Outer Banks Health Family Medicine practice in Manteo
Outer Banks Health celebrated a significant milestone on March 19 as it broke ground for the expansion of its Family Medicine practice in Manteo. The groundbreaking ceremony was a momentous occasion coinciding with the 22nd anniversary of the opening of The Outer Banks Health Hospital on March 19, 2002. Learn more.
May 16
James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital at ECU Health Medical Center receives Level I Trauma Center verification
James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital at ECU Health Medical Center received verification from the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Committee on Trauma as a Level I Pediatric Trauma Center, becoming one of only four in the state. Maynard Children’s Hospital joined ECU Health Medical Center as the only Level I Trauma Centers in eastern North Carolina. Learn more about the designation.
June 26
ECU Health Medical Center achieves Magnet® recognition for third time
ECU Health Medical Center once again earned Magnet® recognition, which is awarded every four years and represents the highest national honor for professional nursing practice, marking its third consecutive successful accreditation for exemplary nursing practice. The American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet Recognition Program® distinguishes health care organizations that meet rigorous standards for nursing excellence. Read more.
July 1
Rural Family Medicine Residency Program celebrates graduation of first cohort, welcomes new expanded class
ECU Health and the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University celebrated the graduation of the first ever cohort of resident physicians in the Rural Family Medicine Residency Program on June 30, before officially welcoming the latest class of resident physicians into the newly expanded program July 1, marking two important milestones in a program uniquely designed to help meet the academic rural health mission. Learn more about the program.
July 8
ECU Health Medical Center Electrophysiology Lab becomes first in North Carolina to earn accreditation by IAC
ECU Health Medical Center Electrophysiology Lab becomes the first hospital lab in North Carolina to earn accreditation by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) in Cardiac Electrophysiology in the areas of Testing and Ablation, Device Implantation, and Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion. IAC accreditation is a “seal of approval” that patients can rely on as an indicator of consistent quality care and a commitment to continuous improvement. Read more.
Aug. 27
All ECU Health hospitals receive Get With the Guidelines® awards
The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association has awarded all nine ECU Health hospitals Get With the Guidelines® achievement awards for their work in treating stroke, diabetes, cardiac arrest, heart attack and heart failure. These awards recognize the health system’s commitment to following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for the treatment of heart disease, diabetes and stroke, ultimately leading to more lives saved, shorter recovery times and fewer readmissions to the hospital. Learn more about the awards.
Aug. 29
Nineteen ECU Health nurses recognized among Great 100 Nurses of North Carolina
Nineteen ECU Health nurses were named Great 100 Nurses of North Carolina by the Great 100 Nurses of North Carolina Board of Directors. The recipients are recognized for their outstanding professional ability and contributions to improving health care services in their communities. Since 1989, The North Carolina Great 100, Inc. has recognized and honored nurses around the state for their commitment to excellence. Each year, the Great 100 Nurses of North Carolina Board of Directors asks patients, health care workers, friends and family members to nominate an outstanding nurse practicing in North Carolina. Read more about these nurses.
Sept. 3
Dr. Christoper Hasty performs first BEAR® Implant at ECU Health
Dr. Christoper Hasty, orthopedic surgeon with ECU Health and Orthopaedics East, performed the first BEAR® Implant to treat anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears at ECU Health. The implant enables a torn ACL to heal and restores the natural function of the knee, instead of replacing it with a graft. Learn more about the procedure.
Sept. 5
ECU Health becomes first to implant pacemaker with the EluPro® BioEnvelope
ECU Health performed the first ever pacemaker implantation with Elutia’s EluPro® BioEnvelope. EluPro, a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved device, is the first antibiotic-eluting device designed to prevent post-operative complications for Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices (CIEDs) such as pacemakers and defibrillators. Read more.
Sept. 10
Dr. Irons HealthAssist Clinic opens at JOY Community Center, offering health care to uninsured community members
The Dr. Irons HealthAssist Clinic at JOY Community Center, which opened on Sept. 10, provides free non-emergent health care and disease management services to uninsured individuals in eastern North Carolina. Dr. Irons, a lifelong advocate for community health, served as the chief medical officer for Access East, a nonprofit ECU Health affiliate. He retired from his distinguished career as a professor at East Carolina University’s Brody School of Medicine, where he was also a pediatric physician. Read More.
Sept. 12
ECU, ECU Health’s NC-STeP receives national achievement award by American Psychiatric Association
The American Psychiatric Association awarded East Carolina University and ECU Health’s N.C. Statewide Telepsychiatry Program (NC-STeP) the prestigious Psychiatric Services Achievement Bronze Award for its significant contributions to the mental health field. NC-STeP, a virtual care-based program focused on enhancing access to mental health services in underserved parts of the state, was created in 2013 and is effectively reducing patient lengths of stay in emergency departments, increasing efficiency and improving costs by reducing the number of involuntary commitments, eliminating unnecessary admissions and improving patient transition to aftercare to reduce repeated visits. Learn more.
Oct. 3
ECU Health, Eastern Healthcare Preparedness Coalition team members providing critical support to hospitals and communities impacted by Hurricane Helene
Eastern North Carolinians know all too well the devastation that accompanies major hurricanes. When Hurricane Helene hit our neighbors to the west, ECU Health and Eastern Healthcare Preparedness Coalition (EHPC) team members did not hesitate to answer the call. These specialized team members provided support to hospitals and health care facilities as they worked to ensure patients can be safely cared for in the fallout of the catastrophic storm. Across western North Carolina, more than 20 hospitals were impacted by the storm and thousands of people left devastated. Read more about their efforts.
Oct. 22
ECU Health Medical Center earns Gold Seal of Approval® for brain tumor care from The Joint Commission
ECU Health Medical Center earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® Certification for brain tumor care, recognizing the program’s ongoing dedication to delivering safe, high-quality patient care. According to The Joint Commission, the Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that recognizes health care organizations that provide comprehensive care for patients with brain tumors. Learn more.
Oct. 28
ECU Health introduces FARAPULSE™ Pulsed Field Ablation System as cutting-edge solution for patients
Dr. Ghanshyam Shantha, cardiac electrophysiologist at ECU Health, performed the first procedure at ECU Health Medical Center with a new and innovative device that treats atrial fibrillation (AFib), or an irregular heartbeat – the FARAPULSE™ Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA) System. The FARAPULSE™ PFA is a catheter device that uses electrical fields to target specific tissue areas within the heart that causes an irregular heart rhythm that significantly decrease quality of life and carries the risk of embolic stroke. Learn more about the advancement.
Nov. 20
ECU Health recognizes Patient Choice Award Winners
ECU Health spent the fall traveling around eastern North Carolina to celebrate the winners of the third annual Patient Choice Awards. The Patient Choice Awards recognize teams that have the highest and most improved patient experience ratings in their care delivery category for “Creating a caring environment that helped me heal.” Hospitals also received awards for patient ratings in cleanliness and “Courtesy of a person who served me food.” Read more about the awards and winners.
Nov. 21
Brody, ECU Health celebrate Center for Medical Education Building groundbreaking
Leaders from East Carolina University, Brody School of Medicine, ECU Health and across North Carolina came together for the Center for Medical Education Building groundbreaking on Brody’s campus. The groundbreaking marked a new era for health care in eastern North Carolina and for rural communities across the state. With the new 195,000-square-foot, seven-story building set to be fully constructed in 2027, the incoming class sizes at Brody are expected to increase significantly – from fewer than 100 this fall to more than 120 by 2027. Read more.
Dec. 4
Gov. Roy Cooper visits ECU Health Medical Center to celebrate one year of Medicaid expansion in North Carolina
In recognition of the one-year anniversary of Medicaid expansion in North Carolina, Gov. Roy Cooper visited ECU Health Medical Center in Greenville to reflect on the impact of expansion and celebrate a year of reaching North Carolinians in need. Since Medicaid expansion officially launched in North Carolina on Dec. 1, 2023, more than 80,000 eastern North Carolinians and nearly 600,000 people statewide have benefited from access to vital health insurance. Learn more about the visit.
Dec. 5
ECU Health names Todd Hickey as president of ECU Health North Hospital
ECU Health named Todd Hickey, MHA, FACHE, as president of ECU Health North Hospital. Hickey is serving as president of ECU Health North in addition to continuing his current role as chief strategy officer for the health system. Hickey joined ECU Health in 2008, serving in service line and hospital operations executive leadership roles at ECU Health Medical Center until becoming the health system’s first Chief Clinical Network Development Officer in 2016. He transitioned to Chief Strategy Officer in 2022. Learn more.