Reflecting on a year of advancement and milestones at ECU Health and in eastern North Carolina.
2023 was a year of recognition about the importance of rural health care systems like ECU Health. We established ECU Health with a vision of building the model for high-quality, academic rural health care, and our efforts have been rewarded through significant funding to help us meet the profound challenges facing our region. Leaders across the state and beyond see the work that we do on a daily basis and recognize that our mission – and our people – are worth investing in.
Together, we accomplished so much in 2023. Some of those highlights are featured below as we reflect on another important year serving eastern North Carolina.
2023
Jan. 5
ECU Health Medical Center earns breast cancer care accreditation
For the ninth year, The National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers granted accreditation status to ECU Health Medical Center. Read more.
Jan. 9
ECU Health Bertie Hospital receives Press Ganey Human Experience Guardian of Excellence Award®
ECU Health Bertie Hospital is named a 2022 Human Experience (HX) Guardian of Excellence Award® winner for physician engagement by Press Ganey. The award puts ECU Health Bertie in the top 5% of health care providers in physician engagement in the last year by Press Ganey, which is the global leader in health care experience solutions and services. Read more.
Feb. 15
NCDHHS hosts Mental Health Town Hall in Pitt County
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) Secretary Kody H. Kinsley and local legislators host a Mental Health Town Hall in Greenville to hear from Eastern North Carolina health care workers and area citizens. Read more.
Feb. 23
Debra Hernandez named Senior Vice President of System Emergency Services
After serving in a dual role as president of ECU Health Beaufort Hospital since 2020, as well as the system vice president of Emergency Services, Debra Hernandez, is named Senior Vice President of System Emergency Services. Read more.
March 17
Match Day 2023: ECU medical students learn where they will complete residency training
The Brody School of Medicine Class of 2023, whose medical school journey included the historical events of learning through the COVID-19 pandemic and the integration of Brody and then – Vidant Health, which became ECU Health in 2022, celebrates it Match Day. Read more.
March 20
ECU Health hosts grand opening for Lifestyle Medicine
The ECU Health Lifestyle Medicine team celebrates its new dedicated space inside of ECU Health Wellness Center – Greenville. The clinic and Lifestyle Medicine program is designed to help patients live a healthier life through improved nutrition and exercise. Learn more about the visit.
March 27
North Carolina General Assembly passes Medicaid expansion bill
ECU Health CEO and Dean of the Brody School of Medicine Dr. Michael Waldrum expresses gratitude to elected officials for making Medicaid expansion a reality for more than 600,000 people in the state, including more than 100,000 people in Eastern North Carolina. Read more.
March 29
ECU Health Medical Center Echocardiography Laboratory earns reaccreditations
ECU Health Medical Center’s Echocardiography Laboratory receives a 20 Year Bronze Accreditation Milestone for its reaccreditation and pediatric echocardiography reaccreditation by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC). Read more.
April 25
ECU Health Foundation rebrands
Previously known as ECU Medical & Health Sciences Foundation and Vidant Health Foundation, the two entities come together to create the ECU Health Foundation. The two foundations remain separate legal entities but integrate under a new, shared brand to support ECU Health, the ECU Schools and Colleges of the health sciences and Laupus Library. Learn more.
May 16
ECU Health names Dr. Richard Medford as system’s first Chief Medical Informatics and Digital Health Officer
ECU Health announces Dr. Richard Medford as the system’s first Chief Medical Informatics and Digital Health Officer following an extensive national search and interview process with stakeholders from across the organization. Read more.
May 26
ECU Health nurses honored with ECU College of Nursing Hall of Fame, scholarship
In recognition of service to eastern North Carolina and commitment to the profession, three ECU Health nurses are inducted into the East Carolina University College of Nursing Hall of Fame, while another receives a scholarship while pursuing her doctorate in nursing. Learn more.
June 26
10 years of services at the Maynard Children’s Hospital addition
This year marked 10 years of serving the youngest patients in eastern North Carolina at the Maynard Children’s Hospital addition at ECU Health Medical Center. Over the last 10 years, the children’s hospital has delivered more than 37,000 babies, with more than 61,000 inpatient admissions, 216,000 emergency cases, 223,000 outpatient cases and an additional 700,000 pediatric outpatient visits through the ECU pediatric outpatient center. Read more.
June 28
ECU Health announces Board Quality Leadership Award winners
The 2023 ECU Health Board Quality Leadership Award winners are recognized by the ECU Health Board of Directors. The winning teams, ECU Health Medical Center and ECU Health North Hospital is a representation of excellent work across the system that drives the quality goal of zero harm, creates exceptional experiences and improves patient outcomes. Learn more.
July 11
ECU Health Roanoke-Chowan Hospital recertified as primary stroke center
The Joint Commission and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association recertifies ECU Health Roanoke-Chowan and ECU Health North hospitals as primary stroke centers, recognizing the two hospitals’ preparedness and expertise to provide timely and high-quality care for stroke patients. Read more.
Aug. 1
ECU Health hospitals receive Get With The Guidelines® awards, Mission: Lifeline® award
All nine ECU Health hospitals Get With The Guidelines® achievement awards and a Mission: Lifeline® award for their work in treating stroke, diabetes, cardiac arrest, heart attack and heart failure. The recognition represents the excellence of care across the system. Learn more.
Aug. 3
ECU’s newest class of medical students receive white coats
The Brody School of Medicine Class of 2027 is officially welcomed during the White Coat Ceremony, a traditional celebration to initiate the new medical students. Read more.
Sept. 4
Thirteen ECU Health nurses recognized among Great 100 Nurses of North Carolina
The Great 100 Nurses of North Carolina Board of Directors names thirteen ECU Health nurses in their list of the Great 100 Nurses of North Carolina. Learn more about each of the honorees.
Sept. 5
Surgical Review Corporation accredits ECU Health Medical Center as a Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery
ECU Health Medical Center achieves its first accreditations from Surgical Review Corporation as a Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery and a Center of Excellence in Minimally Invasive Surgery. Learn more about the recognition.
Sept. 12
ECU Health Medical Center earns national accreditation from Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons
ECU Health Medical Center earns accreditation from the Commission on Cancer. This recognizes that patients receive comprehensive, personalized care provided by a team of specialists working closely together, have access to information on clinical trials and new treatment options, ongoing monitoring of care and lifelong follow-up, mental health support, financial guidance, survivorship care and other long-term services. Learn more.
Sept. 20
ECU Health announces two hospital president appointments: Campbell, II and Harvill
ECU Health announces a pair of new hospital presidents after the two spent time in the positions on an interim basis. Brian Harvill, ECU Health Roanoke-Chowan Hospital, and Dennis Campbell, II, ECU Health Beaufort Hospital, a campus of ECU Health Medical Center, step into their new roles. Learn more.
Sept. 22
North Carolina budget passes, including Medicaid expansion and other important health care funding
ECU Health CEO and Dean of the Brody School of Medicine Dr. Michael Waldrum shares his appreciation for North Carolina legislators and their commitment to supporting rural health care with Medicaid expansion and other critical funding in the state budget. Read more.
Oct. 17
ECU Health hosts U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means members
Members of the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means visited Beaufort and Pitt counties to engage with the community, tour ECU Health Beaufort Hospital and ECU Health Medical Center, hear from community care leaders and discuss the challenges facing rural health care in America. Read more.
Oct. 19
ECU Health names Jenny Markham as Chief Legal Officer
ECU Health announces Jenny Markham as Chief Legal Officer for the health system, along with the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. Learn more.
Oct. 27
ECU Health Roanoke-Chowan Hospital celebrates 75 years of excellence in service
From a 40-bed hospital built in 1948 under the Hill-Burton Act to expanded beds and growing services in response to its community needs, ECU Health Roanoke-Chowan Hospital recognized 75 years of caring for the area. Read more.
Nov. 1
ECU Health, Acadia Healthcare host groundbreaking ceremony for new behavioral health hospital
From a 40-bed hospital built in 1948 under the Hill-Burton Act to expanded beds and growing services in response to its community needs, ECU Health Roanoke-Chowan Hospital recognized 75 years of caring for the area. Learn more.
Nov. 20
Maynard Children’s Hospital welcomes new facility dog, Sam
The Maynard Children’s Hospital at ECU Health Medical Center launches its Maynard Canine Crew. Sam, a black lab/retriever mix will be a full-time facility dog at the children’s hospital helping children meet tangible goals. Meet Sam.
Dec. 1
North Carolina Medicaid expansion goes live
North Carolina opens Medicaid expansion as ECU Health and health care providers across the state begin to help patients enroll in this important step to bring health care access to more patients in eastern North Carolina. Read more.