vidant specialty clinic :: Article CreatorVidant's New Belhaven Clinic Opens To The Public
Vidant's new $5.5 million state-of-the-art medical clinic in Belhaven is now open to the public.
It opened Monday, June 20th.
The multi-specialty clinic is open 24/7 and has 19 exam rooms, x-ray equipment for chest x-rays, extremity x-rays, back films and can do ultra sounds.
The 12,000 square foot clinic also offers prenatal care and cardiac consultations.
The outpatient clinic also has a helipad, overnight rooms for physicians and a physical therapy room.
There are currently two doctors, as well as three family nurse practitioners and two physician's assistants. They are looking to recruit one more doctor for the clinic.
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The new $5.5 million state-of-the-art medical clinic in Belhaven is set to open next week and we got an inside look at it Wednesday.
Vidant Family Medicine physician Dr. Greg Jones showed off the modern technology, the advanced equipment and the spacious facility, which will be open 24/7 beginning June 20th at 8:00 a.M.
Jones says, "We have 19 exam rooms. We have also x-ray equipment for chest x-rays, extremity x-rays, back films. We can do ultra sounds now."
The 12,000 square foot clinic also offers prenatal care and cardiac consultations that will allow people like Randy Rouse to be treated without having to travel.
Rouse says, "I've got a few health problems going on, dialysis and things like that and anytime I get in a situation where I've got to go to the hospital, then I can depend on them I think, to be able to take care of me, get me stabilized."
Rouse has lived in the area his entire life and thinks the clinic will be very beneficial.
He says, "It looks like to me they've really done their homework, how they've set it up to be able to handle the needs of the people in the area and I think it's really a great thing to have in Belhaven."
But not everyone thinks the clinic will offer enough health-care.
Mayor Adam O'Neal has been fighting to reopen the hospital, formerly known as Vidant-Pungo, since it closed in July 2014.
O'Neal says, They're not bringing anything new to Belhaven. They're taking things from Belhaven. How can you spin something that you close a hospital and three clinics and it's a great thing? It's not a great thing. It's devastating."
While the three current primary physician's offices in Belhaven are closing in lieu of the new clinic, Dr. Jones says it will be more beneficial to have the entire staff under one roof.
The outpatient clinic also has a helipad, overnight rooms for physicians and a physical therapy room.
In addition to Jones, there is one other doctor, as well as three family nurse practitioners and two physician's assistants. However, Jones says they are looking to recruit one more doctor for the clinic.
ECU, Vidant Sign Agreement To Merge Medical Practices
Vidant Health and East Carolina University signed an agreement this afternoon that would bring ECU Physicians under the Vidant umbrella.
The physicians group will be integrated with the hospital's physician group, Vidant Medical Group.
The new company's board, called VECU, will be chaired by the medical school dean, while Vidant will appoint six members and ECU five. A news release says all financial risk lies with Vidant.
The hospital system will initially make a $35 million payment to ECU, and then $14.25 million annually to the medical school for the next 30 years.
Both the university and Vidant believe the new entity will be better able to respond to the changing health care environment.
ECU Physicians has more than 350 physicians, and many more workers who are state employees. While doctors would remain employees of the medical school, other workers would be given the option to join the new company or remain state employees for a defined period "to reach certain state retirement and benefit milestones."
News release
Vidant Health and East Carolina University sign agreement to integrate physician practices
GREENVILLE, N.C. – East Carolina University (ECU) and Vidant Health today announced the signing of a formal agreement to integrate ECU Physicians, the clinical practice of The Brody School of Medicine at ECU, with Vidant Medical Group, Vidant's multi-specialty physician group subsidiary into the new entity created last year.
The new organization will focus on creating innovative systems and processes that reduce the cost for patients, increase access to new therapies and technologies, reduce the impact of chronic disease in the area and expand the training sites available for medical students. Another goal is to increase the opportunity for clinical trials that benefit rural areas. The combined expertise from the two organizations brings the medical research capabilities and faculty expertise unique to ECU together with specialized clinical expertise and operational capabilities at Vidant Health in all of the communities it serves.
The announcement comes after months of collaboration and work by the two entities. The terms of the agreement meet the parameters set forth by the University of North Carolina Board of Governors.
"The hard work and commitment of generations of leaders, combined with the visionary thinking and persistence of so many who serve this area today has borne fruit," said ECU Chancellor Cecil Staton. "This is an agreement forged from one idea, that together we can create a better way to deliver health care to even the most rural areas of eastern North Carolina. The combination of skills from both organizations into one new entity flows naturally from a longstanding partnership. It also mirrors similar developments at other health care institutions across the country in response to significant changes in the health care landscape."
"We have set ambitious goals to coordinate access, education, research and clinical trials that further enhance the missions of these two acclaimed organizations," said Vidant Chief Executive Officer Dr. Michael Waldrum. "Our shared vision is to be the national model for rural health and wellness by creating a premier, trusted academic delivery system for the benefit of the people of eastern North Carolina."
Both ECU and Vidant believe the new clinically-integrated entity will be better able—through its combined expertise—to respond to the changing health care environment.
"Health care across the country is experiencing incredible change, and with that change comes a lot of uncertainty. Regardless of what happens on the national landscape, we are better positioned to care for patients, their families and the communities we serve if we do this important work together," said Waldrum. "The mission of both organizations, and the mission of the newly formed integrated physician entity, is about rural health care leadership, and we believe today's announcement is a major step forward in ensuring we provide the very best care at the most affordable price."
The new company's board, chaired by the dean of the medical school, includes six members appointed by Vidant and five by ECU. While financial risk and responsibility for the new entity rest with Vidant, the new entity is legally structured to operate in support of the mission of Brody School of Medicine. The medical school's relationship with the UNC System and the state of North Carolina remains unchanged.
As part of the agreement, Vidant will make an initial $35 million payment to ECU and an annual $14.25 million mission support payment to Brody School of Medicine for the next 30 years. The new organization is expected to begin operations in 2018.
Vidant Opens Belhaven Clinic Two Years After Closing Local Hospital
Published June 22, 2016 at 10:37 AM EDT
Vidant Health has opened a 24-hour urgent care clinic in Belhaven. It offers minor emergency and pre-natal care, a full lab, X-rays and a general family practice.
Vidant's Chief Medical Officer Mark Rumans said serious emergencies are rare, and the clinic can offer air and ground transportation to the nearest emergency department 30 miles away.
"The most common needs in the community, especially in Eastern North Carolina, are management of things like diabetes, heart disease, chronic complex conditions and that's what primary care is all about," Rumans said.
Two local physicians have moved their practices to Vidant and the clinic is recruiting a third doctor.
Vidant closed the local Pungo Hospital in 2014, claiming millions of dollars in operating losses and unpaid care. Dr. Rumans said the new clinic will be more cost effective.
"Patients are seeing more of their care in ambulatory settings," he said. "What used to be taken care of in an inpatient is now being taken care of in an out-patient, so that's not unique to North Carolina. That's happening all across the country, and reimbursement is following that model."
Belhaven Mayor Adam O'Neal disputes the financial insolvency of Pungo Hospital. He said closing the ER and consolidating doctors' offices has cost the region jobs and lives. Independent doctors in Belhaven have now closed their practices to work for Vidant. And there's now no emergency room for 30 miles.
"It would be like somebody coming to your house and stealing all your furniture and all your appliances, and then coming back a couple years later and giving you a new coffee maker and then wanting you to be happy about it," O'Neal said. "They have destroyed our healthcare in our area. They have taken emergency services away from 20,000 people. And people are dying due to the actions they have taken."
O'Neal has been lobbying state and federal officials to reopen the Pungo Hospital. He has secured a federal grant to buy the building but says Vidant's influence over the building's governing board has prevented such a sale.
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