Monday, December 24, 2018
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:
