Last year, ECU Health and the national nonprofit Undue Medical Debt announced an initiative to help eliminate more than $186 million of past-due hospital medical debt for more than 32,000 qualifying patients. Under the Undue Medical Debt guidelines, eligible community members are those whose medical debt exceeds 5% or more of their annual income or who earn at or below four times the current federal poverty-level income (which is $31,200 for a family of four). Community members did not need to take any action, as the eligible hospital medical debt was automatically eliminated for those who qualified.
Debt relief letters were sent out in December and January, and now recipients are sharing their stories.
“This is a miracle that arrived at the right time,” said Nicolas M. of Winterville. He owed nearly $32,000 in medical debt. “These last few months have been especially difficult, but we always try to make the [debt] payments in one way or another.
When I entered the system to make my payment, I did not find the bill… to my surprise and joy I found the Undue letter, indicating that I owed nothing. It seems incredible to us; we thought we would never finish paying that debt. We never thought that something like this could happen to us. We cried with happiness and gratitude. Thank you very much for this help, you have been angels for us, and we will be eternally grateful.”
Heidi of Grosse Pointe had this to say: “When I read that Undue Medical Debt had paid off over $6,000 in medical expenses acquired when we were trying a biological chemotherapy to treat my conditions, a debt that would take me nearly a decade to pay off, I couldn’t believe it. I was floored [and] in complete shock. I just started crying in relief. I didn’t choose to get sick. Undue Medical Debt threw me not just a lifeline, but a complete escape raft. You have changed a life, and I’ll never forget it.”
“I didn’t even apply for assistance. I am so very thankful,” Beth of Edenton said when her more than $1,000 bill was abolished. “What an incredible way to start the year!” shared B.T. of Farmville, after their nearly $1,300 bill was forgiven.
Each debt relief recipient expressed surprise and gratitude at learning their medical debt had been forgiven.
This initiative aligns not only with the system’s commitment to serving underserved communities of the East, but it also ECU Health’s long-standing practice of non-predatory billing, which emphasizes charity care, zero-interest payment plans, transparent pricing and dedicated resources to help patients navigate financial requirements.
“Partnering with Undue Medical Debt allows us to live out ECU Health’s mission in a truly meaningful way – by extending empathy and support beyond the hospital walls,” said Andy Zukowski, chief financial officer at ECU Health. “Medical debt can be a significant burden for individuals and families, especially in the rural and underserved communities we are proud to serve. Through this collaboration, we’re able to help relieve that burden for those who qualify, reinforcing our commitment to improving the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina. It’s not just about financial relief – it’s about dignity, access and aligning our actions with our core values of integrity, compassion and accountability.”
NCWorks is an initiative through the state of North Carolina for young adults aged 18 to 24 who are interested in exploring careers in health care. The program brings together various statewide agencies including the Department of Commerce, Public Instruction and the NC community college system to create opportunities for young jobseekers to find employment.
NCWorks offers tools, resources and knowledge needed to build a strong foundation for participants to begin their career. ECU Health is one of many work sites across the state for the NCWorks program.
In addition to helping young adults gain valuable skills, the program also creates a pipeline of talent that potentially leads to participants becoming members of the ECU Health team. By equipping young professionals for success, ECU Health strengthens its workforce and contributes to the local community by acting on the mission of improving the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina.
The program runs for approximately three months during which participants are part-time team members at ECU Health, gaining hands-on experience in a health care setting. During these three months, they learn about roles in health care from their fellow team members.
Throughout the program, participants are supported with continuous coaching from the workforce development team through learning skills and receiving guidance to help them thrive in professional environments. Both technical and soft skills are important for working in a professional environment and the program helps them develop and navigate these skills.
Program participants also receive guidance and mentorship from current ECU Health team members to learn the ins-and-outs of the workplace. At the end of the program, participants understand the importance of ECU Health’s mission, vision and values and have embedded that into their daily work.
Kara Dozier, a member of the Food and Nutrition Services team, is currently serving as an ambassador and the first participant of the NCWorks Project at ECU Health.
Kara got involved in the program when she met Toyta Kee, a talent pipeline consultant at ECU Health, at a job fair at the Greenville Convention Center. “I saw Ms. Toyta’s ECU Health sign and decided I’m going to talk to her and see what this is about. I did, and I gave her my application that I had printed out, and she said she would contact me,” Kara said.
Kara reached out to Toyta and got connected with the NCWorks program, which Kara has now been a part of since October 2024.
“Overall, my favorite thing about the program is it allows me to be more self-sufficient and provides a great opportunity for different positions at ECU Health,” she says, “I definitely would recommend this program to everybody who’s interested because it is a great opportunity for anybody who wants to get their foot into the ECU Health door!”
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It is nearly impossible to adequately describe just how much a nurse means to the patients they serve. They are expert caretakers for sick patients. They are entertainers for a child who needs a laugh. They are a compassionate shoulder to cry on during life’s difficult moments. They embody what it means to foster hope, healing and trust.
Trish Baise, ECU Health Chief Nursing Executive
This year, May 6-12 was recognized as National Nurses Week, and I am proud to honor the 4,000-plus nurses serving here at ECU Health. It is always a pleasure to tell people about how impactful our nurses are, but their contributions go far beyond the limitations of words. To honor National Nurses Week, we decided to show how important our nurses truly are by hosting the first-ever ECU Health Walk-a-Mile with Nursing, where organizational leaders spent the day shadowing a nurse and fostering a deeper appreciation for all a nurse does in a single day at hospitals across the health system.
I want to share just a few of the most common words we heard during a roundtable discussion following the Walk-a-Mile event at ECU Health Medical Center: compassionate, caring, competent, eye-opening. The organizational leaders, many of whom don’t work primarily in the clinical setting, saw our nurses doing what they do best: exemplifying excellence and compassion in every way possible. From the ICU to the labor and delivery unit, and everywhere in between, it was a true joy to take folks behind-the-scenes to see who our nurses truly are.
The Walk-a-Mile event was the perfect way to kick off National Nurses Week and recognize the theme “Celebrating the Power of Nurses,” which acknowledges courage, resilience and unwavering commitment to patient care. I could not be more proud of ECU Health’s nurses, who embody our mission to improve the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina.
In honor of the incredible contributions of all nurses, and particularly those here in eastern North Carolina and at ECU Health, I certainly encourage everyone to share a kind word or two with the nurses in your life. It can be a thankless job at times, and the value is better measured by the lives touched than the kudos received. Still, nurses everywhere deserve to know that their contributions are deeply appreciated.
When Rawlings Warren was born in December of 2024, she seemed like a healthy baby. Lacey and Ross Warren took their daughter home from the hospital to begin their life as a family of three, but at 12 days old, Rawlings began to show signs of not feeling well. By Jan. 3, Lacey knew something wasn’t right, and she and Ross took Rawlings to the ECU Health Emergency Department (ED). “We thought we’d get some medications and be sent home,” Lacey recalled. “But that ED visit turned into a 27-day stay in the hospital.”
Rawlings was transferred to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) in ECU Health Maynard Children’s Hospital, where she received quick and comprehensive care. “As a first-time mom, I was scared to death. No one knew what was wrong, and we were terrified,” Lacey said. What turned that day around were the nurses on the PICU team, one of whom was Corbin Martin, a staff nurse III.
“Ross and I had stepped out of the room for a minute, and when we walked back in, Corbin was singing You are My Sunshine to Rawlings. We knew we were in the right place, and they were going to take care of our baby,” Lacey affirmed. “First-time parents spending the first weeks of their child’s life in the hospital can be an all-too-common story for our unit,” shared Corbin. “I connected with the Warrens through laughter to bring a lightness to their dark time.”
What Lacey, Ross and the PICU team didn’t know but eventually discovered was that Rawlings was born with a late onset bloodstream infection. That infection turned into sepsis, with additional diagnoses of meningitis, failure to thrive and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). “You have this 13-day old, and you can’t ask her what’s wrong,” Lacey said. “Finding out what was going on was the main thing, and the PICU team did everything they could to find that out.” Candace Guy, a staff nurse IV in the PICU, recalled the experience: “They were going through one of the most difficult things in their lives, and there was some uncertainty at the beginning of what the treatment plan would be, but the family was never unkind to us even though they were understandably frustrated. You can’t not be friends with them, and they are great parents.”
During their stay, Lacey said either she or Ross were at Rawlings’ bedside every minute. “We took shifts,” she said. “One of us would go home to take a shower and do a load of laundry, and then the other one would go. We were there 24/7, and these people became our family.” Lindsi Ahern, a nurse practitioner who responded to Rawlings’ Rapid Response and facilitated her transfer to the PICU, witnessed the Warren’s dedication. “They are so special to our team!” she said. “They quickly became great advocates for their child and a vital part of our team in caring for Rawlings. As a mom, I cannot imagine going through what they did in their child’s first month of life, and they did it with grace.”
Jonanna McGee, a staff nurse III, reinforced that feeling. “The family was very good at communicating with our team members, and it made it easier for us to advocate for Rawlings because we could speak to her and the family’s wishes,” she said. “They truly trusted our judgement and that formed a deeper relationship.”
The PICU team made sure the Warrens felt more comfortable during their daughter’s hospital stay, often in unexpected ways. “They would come in and talk to us, just to say hello,” Lacey recalled. “They always asked us what we needed, even in the middle of the night. If we cried, a nurse was there to cry with us. When the doctor came in, we’d hold our breath, but she would talk to us about dinner, books or whatever. We have a whole new set of friends.”
She also appreciated the staff’s concern about her own needs as a freshly postpartum mom. “There was never a day a nurse didn’t ask how I was doing postpartum,” she said. “They were the sweetest people,” said Dr. Anna Hamanjian, one of the attendings who cared for Rawlings during her stay. “Being a new mom and postpartum and being scared to death because their newborn was having all these issues – I can’t imagine. The most heartbreaking thing Lacey said was hearing about other new moms complaining about late nights or feeding, and she just wanted to be home and do those normal things. But even when they were frustrated, they were understanding.”
The team also did little things that, to Lacey and Ross, meant everything. “It snowed during our stay, and the team made sure we got to take Rawlings outside to see the snow. She was 20 days old, but it was important to us, and they made it happen.” Lacey also recalled that when the team learned about her and Ross’s tradition of going to Chicos every Friday night, a tradition now upended by Rawlings’s hospitalization, the PICU team ordered Chicos takeout. “These people who didn’t know us were picking up on things we were missing out on and bringing joy to a scary situation,” Lacey said. “They did it because their hearts are big and the have so much love to give.”
Another resource for the Warrens was their child life specialist, Chelse Smith. Certified child life specialists provide support and resources to help decrease the stress and anxiety of a hospital stay for children and their families, and they work alongside the medical team to meet the mental, emotional and social needs of the patients and their families. “Chelse was assigned to us in the PICU, and she is a gift from above,” Lacey said.
“I was able to build a relationship with the Warrens through conversation – although nurses and doctors rotate shifts, a child life specialist is a constant at the bedside,” Chelse said.
During those conversations, Chelse learned about the Warrens, including that their beloved golden retriever had recently passed away. “We are dog people,” Lacey laughed. “Our golden retriever died just before Rawlings was born, and that’s the theme of her nursery.”
“I was able to decorate Rawlings’s room with items similar to her nursery theme to provide normalization. We took several pictures of Rawlings and her family throughout her admission and I posted those pictures in the room,” Chelse said. Chelse is also the secondary handler for the hospital’s facility dog, Sam.
“Sam was a huge part of coping and support for Lacey and Ross,” Chelse said. “When we found out that Sam likes to sit in laps, that was great,” Lacey shared. “We now have a stuffed animal version of Sam in Rawlings’s nursery. It’s those little things that truly helped us in ways we can’t explain.”
Chelse also realized through her conversations with the Warrens that Rawlings hadn’t had her newborn photos taken yet, something that had been planned the day she went to the ED. “We have a program called Little Wishes that grants patients a wish during their hospitalization,” Chelse explained. “Lacey and Ross talked about missing out on normal baby milestones, including a newborn shoot.” So, Chelse arranged for the photo shoot to come to the hospital. “I got to be there every step of the way and celebrate the small wins.”
When Rawlings was discharged, Lacey and Ross couldn’t forget the compassionate care their family received, which is what prompted Lacey to invite the PICU team to Tie Breakers in Greenville a few months later. “We weren’t going to let them go,” she said. “They saved our baby’s life. The staff doesn’t get to always see what happens to their patients after they leave, and it was important to them see that we now have a healthy baby. They deserve to see the good side of things.”
The PICU team enjoyed seeing the Warren family again, including a healthy Rawlings. “It was so special to see both Lacey and Rawlings outside the hospital; to hear that she was thriving at home was heartwarming,” said Lindsi. “It’s nice when you can make those kinds of connections with families,” Candace reiterated. “We couldn’t wait to see the Warrens again,” Corbin said. “When we arrived, it was so refreshing to see Rawlings growing, off all her medications, and just being a healthy baby. We also got to see Lacey being a mom and finally ‘breathing’ as a first-time mom. It just validates why we do what we do – seeing a healthy, happy baby with her mother thriving and no longer needing our intensive services is rewarding.”
None of that would have been possible without the high-quality care Rawlings received while in the PICU. “When I think of what we get families through – it’s incredible,” Dr. Hamanjian said. “From the shortest admission to the kids who are here for weeks or months, we work together to communicate and advocate in the patient’s best interest. Everything we do is for the kids, and that’s what I love about working here.”
“We love our patients hard, and we love our team hard,” Candace added. “We’re super passionate about our patients and their families, and we are supportive of each other on our team. I’ve been here almost 20 years and the teamwork is strong here.” Lesley Smith, the PICU manager, spoke highly of the team. “We make an impact on patients, and they make a big impact on us,” she shared. “The Warrens are a prime example of how far our team goes for our patients and their families. It’s more than a nursing relationship – it’s genuine care.”
Lacey said now Rawlings is four months old and doing well. “She would not be here if not for the doctors and nurses in the PICU. Every single nurse, and I could name all of them, were all great. That’s why Ross and I are advocates for the PICU. They will forever be our friends because of how they treated us and continue to treat us.”
Beard-Linton named president-elect of North Carolina chapter of American Case Management Association
As a case manager at ECU Health Medical Center, Sara Beard-Linton described her role – and the role of all case managers – as the mortar that helps piece bricks together.
She works with patients, physicians, nurses, therapists, pharmacists, insurance providers and more to help come up with a care plan, both in the hospital and after discharge, that works for everyone.
She’s also taking on an important role to help case managers across North Carolina and the country to bring best practices to the work she and her colleagues do each day.
Recently, Beard-Linton was named president-elect for the North Carolina Chapter of the American Case Management Association (ACMA) and will take over as president in 2026.
She said she’s excited for the opportunity and has appreciated learning from other board members in the state and nationally. She’s especially appreciative to represent ECU Health, share what she believes is working well for the system and hear from others about opportunities for growth.
“It’s nice to put us on the roadmap of making changes and being a part of that change for case management as a whole,” Beard-Linton said. “It’s really important to put any egos aside and not saying ‘We’re doing this better.’ It’s all about what we can all do better together to advocate for patients and their families.”
Since joining the board three years ago, Beard-Linton said she’s seen tremendous growth in the North Carolina chapter as its membership rose from about 200 to more than 1,000 today. The chapter includes representation from 64 organizations and even includes retired case managers taking the opportunity to give back to their profession.
Beard-Linton is one of three ECU Health team members on the North Carolina ACMA board, with Amanda Hargrove, executive director of Care and Utilization Management at ECU Health Medical Center, and Tracy Simerson, system manager of Care Management at ECU Health Medical Center, serving as Members-at-Large.
Hargrove has been a board member for North Carolina’s ACMA for five years. She said that seeing ECU Health on a national stage and in a position to influence positive change has been an exciting step for the department.
“I’m so proud of our case management team and being able to represent ECU Health on the board, at the conferences, doing podium presentations, and poster presentations, really getting ECU Health out there over the last couple of years,” Hargrove said. “I’m very proud of the work the team has done and now being able to help lead the North Carolina chapter of ACMA.”
Beard-Linton said one of her favorite parts of participating in the board is the opportunity to be a voice for the patients and families the health system serves. She shared that her background as a social worker made her a passionate advocate for people and she’s grateful to take a larger role in that work with North Carolina’s ACMA as president.
“We have a committee that looks at government policies on a state and federal level and actually goes to Washington, D.C. to meet with Senators and members of Congress to talk about things that are impacting our patients, whether negatively or positively, so our voices can be heard,” she said. “To me, this is a great opportunity to give back and encourage others to give back and advocate for changes for the communities we serve.”
She said she would encourage other team members to get involved in similar groups related to their field, take opportunities to learn from others and be a leader even if they’re not serving in a leadership role with the system.
Nancy Keith, Hargrove present at national conference
During the ACMA National Conference in April, Nancy Keith, system manager for Case Management at ECU Health Medical Center, and Hargrove had the opportunity to present some of their recent work to attendees in Denver, Colorado.
Their poster presentation focused on nearly three years of work to develop and implement a system-wide case management leadership model. In 2022, the team piloted a shared leadership model with three ECU Health community hospitals in an effort to better share resources and support team members across the system.
Keith and Hargrove said the pilot program was a runaway success and lead to implementation across the system. Keith said the work helped reduce the average length of stay for patients while getting them the care they needed more efficiently, improved team member satisfaction and alleviated time-consuming tasks for case managers, allowing for more interaction with patients.
“The biggest takeaway from the project for me was the change in team member morale. I think case managers in the community hospitals realized the amount of support and additional resources we could provide by coming in and redesigning the leadership model,” Keith said. “I’m glad to see the program has helped them along the way and the support has remained and carried forward as we’re moving along.”
Hargrove said she is grateful to have teams believing in the process and she’s proud of the growth she’s seen across the system. While she said they’ve received positive feedback from team members and from attendees at the conference, the team is constantly evaluating and refining the program to best fit the needs of team members and patients in the system.
These efforts are just a few examples of how ECU Health team members go above and beyond their daily roles to share their expertise and learn from others in their fields while serving on state and national boards. These opportunities help drive innovative solutions to help the system meet its mission to improve the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina.
Greenville, N.C. – ECU Health and Lung Cancer Initiative (LCI) are proud to announce a partnership to launch a pilot of the Screening Saves program in eastern North Carolina. This collaboration focuses on reducing lung cancer incidences by promoting awareness, education and increased accessibility to screenings for communities and health care providers across the region.
“We are honored to collaborate with Lung Cancer Initiative on this vital program,” said Phyllis DeAntonio, executive director, Cancer Service Line, ECU Health. “Together, we aim to engage our community and health care providers to break down barriers to lung cancer screening, ensuring better outcomes and healthier futures for the people of eastern North Carolina. This partnership represents a critical step in reducing lung cancer rates and improving health outcomes in the region.”
Lung Cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., accounting for one in five of all cancer deaths, according to the National Cancer Institute. The incidence rate of lung cancer cases in North Carolina is much higher than the national rate at 62.9 per 100,000 compared to 53.6 per 100,000, according to the American Lung Association’s State of Lung Cancer 2024 report. While lung cancer rates are high in eastern North Carolina, over the last five years, the early diagnosis rate of lung cancer in North Carolina improved by 10 percent, which can partially be credited to an increase of lung screenings. ECU Health completed 5,274 low dose CT screenings in 2023 and 6,151 screenings in 2024.
“With lung cancer rates in eastern North Carolina surpassing state and national averages, expanding education and access to screenings is vital,” said Dr. Misbah Qadir, regional oncology medical director, ECU Health. “Early detection through programs like Screening Saves can significantly improve survival rates and empower our region to tackle this critical health challenge. By increasing the availability of low-dose CT screenings, we can detect lung cancer in its earliest stages, ensuring more timely and effective treatment for our community.”
Screening Saves is a state-wide initiative launched by Lung Cancer Initiative in 2024, which aims to raise awareness and leverage partnerships with health care providers like ECU Health to improve lung cancer screening rates through community engagement and health care provider education. The program is being piloted in eastern North Carolina to increase awareness among area residents who are at high risk. ECU Health and LCI will host community education events promoting lung screening awareness and educational sessions for primary care providers, along with additional community engagement events across eastern North Carolina.
“LCI and ECU Health share a common goal with Screening Saves—to expand access to lung cancer screenings and improve early detection rates in eastern North Carolina,” said Dr. Aundrea Oliver, thoracic surgeon and assistant professor at ECU Health and the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, LCI board member and co-chair of the Screening Saves program. “We know early detection is crucial, as it significantly increases survival rates and allows for timely, effective treatment. Through this partnership, we can reach more individuals at high risk, break down barriers to screening and ensure that life-saving resources are readily available to our communities.”
In support of this initiative, LCI is providing a $10,000 grant to assist ECU Health with data collection, planning and other program-related activities. ECU Health will analyze lung screening data from 2023 to 2025, providing quarterly updates to monitor progress and address barriers. Regular review meetings will allow both organizations to strategize improvements and develop tailored solutions for the local community.
Blue and silver Pinwheels for Prevention adorned yards, clinics, daycares and other businesses in Greenville, eastern North Carolina and across the country throughout National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April. The pinwheels, meant to represent childlike whimsy and lightheartedness, are a signature display during the month-long campaign to raise awareness around a difficult and important topic.
For team members and supporters at ECU Health and the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University’s Tender Evaluation, Diagnosis and Intervention for a Better Abuse Response (TEDI BEAR) and Mt. Olive Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs), the tireless effort to prevent child abuse in eastern North Carolina is a year-round endeavor.
“We’re proud and honored to do this work every single day,” said Noemi Rivera, director of TEDI BEAR & Mt. Olive Children’s Advocacy Centers.
“April helps us bring awareness and then we try to keep that energy throughout the year because the services provided at CACs are so important. Here at the TEDI BEAR and Mt. Olive centers, we’re constantly striving to meet the needs of patients and families across eastern North Carolina. I am incredibly proud of everyone involved in this service-driven work.”
The statistics around child abuse are sobering. It affects millions of children, leading to long-term emotional, psychological and physical harm. In eastern North Carolina, the TEDI BEAR and Mt. Olive centers serve nearly 1,000 children annually, providing free and confidential services in a child-friendly setting for victims of sexual abuse, severe physical abuse or children who are witnesses to violence.
Children turn to CACs in North Carolina with new allegations of abuse, seeking help and a way forward after the trauma of child abuse. CACs foster hope and facilitate healing for traumatized child victims of physical and sexual abuse, child-trafficking, neglect and exposure to drugs and violence.
“Evidence shows that the CAC model greatly improves outcomes for children and families that have experienced abuse,” said Deana Joy, executive director of Children’s Advocacy Centers of North Carolina (CACNC). “We are committed to developing, training and sustaining high-quality CACs and multidisciplinary teams so they can provide vital services in a coordinated manner to help victims of child abuse in more efficient and effective ways to optimize positive outcomes.”
The services provided within the walls of the CACs – which are considered safe havens for children who have experienced abuse – are multidisciplinary and include close collaboration with clinicians, support staff, law enforcement and other community-based groups who all share a vision of providing compassionate care during extremely difficult situations. The services include child advocacy, a forensic interview, a medical examination and therapy, if needed. The medical examination identifies any signs of physical trauma, ensures that any lab work or other tests are performed and evaluates the child’s overall health. TEDI BEAR also offers therapists whose special training in child abuse allows them to help victims and family members to resolve the trauma and move forward in their recovery.
According to Bryant Gibson, coordinator of the Mt. Olive CAC, having a robust service offering requires close collaboration with other health care, law enforcement, education and community organizations, all committed to a vision of supporting children and families.
“To do all this, and to meet our collective vision, we have to build strong relationships in our community,” said Gibson during an April open house event at the Mt. Olive CAC. “And we absolutely do that here at Mt. Olive and at TEDI BEAR. Victims of abuse require a spectrum of compassionate services designed to help meet their unique needs. We can provide that caring and healing environment because we have so many people who support our efforts.”
District Attorney Ernie Lee, who serves Duplin, Jones, Onslow and Sampson counties, has a close relationship with the Mt. Olive CAC and is a strong supporter of the CACs. He was one of the many guests at the open house event and praised the work of CAC team members, while also reflecting on what the work means from a purely human perspective.
“I’m not only a district attorney, I’m also a father,” Lee said. “My wife and I, we have two daughters and a son. So that’s a major part of my life. It’s very sad to know that abuse happens here and across the world to children, through no fault of their own. But there’s hope out there, and that hope comes from buildings like this here in Mount Olive.”
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Greenville, N.C. – Van Smith, MBA, MSHA, president of ECU Health Community Hospitals, has been elected as an at-large delegate to the American Hospital Association’s (AHA) Regional Policy Board 3 (RPB 3). In this role, Smith will bring his extensive expertise in rural health care challenges and solutions in service to AHA’s mission. Smith’s term on the board lasts until Dec. 31, 2027.
Van Smith
“The American Hospital Association values ECU Health’s efforts to improve access to high-quality health care across rural eastern North Carolina, and we appreciate Van’s willingness to serve for the next three years on Regional Policy Board 3,” said Matthew Wright, regional executive, American Hospital Association.
AHA’s Regional Policy Boards convene three times per year to discuss policy issues, make recommendations and provide analyses for the AHA Board during its policy deliberations. The AHA is the national organization that represents and serves all types of hospitals, health care networks and their patients and communities. Nearly 5,000 hospitals, health care systems, networks, other providers of care and 43,000 individual members come together to form the AHA.
Smith brings 25 years of senior leadership experience in health care to RPB 3, with expertise in successfully operating rural hospitals. Smith has previously served as president of The Outer Banks Hospital, a critical access hospital, as executive vice president of ECU Health Medical Center, eastern North Carolina’s only Level I Trauma Center, and in executive leadership roles at Carolinas Healthcare/Atrium Health. His experience is important in today’s health care climate where rural communities are in need of solutions that ensure high-quality care will be available for generations to come.
“It is an honor to serve on AHA’s Regional Policy Board 3, where I will proudly advocate to advance the cause of improving access to health care, particularly in rural areas like eastern North Carolina,” said Smith. “My work here at ECU Health has allowed me to deepen my understanding of both the challenges and solutions associated with rural health care delivery in the U.S. Alongside the other experts serving on Regional Policy Board 3, our combined knowledge is our strength, and I look forward to collaborating alongside these bright minds in support of AHA’s advocacy work.”
Kenansville, N.C. — ECU Health Duplin Hospital has earned a five-star patient experience rating according to recently released ratings by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This rating underscores the hospital’s commitment to providing exceptional patient care and service.
Achieving this rating has been a central element of ECU Health Duplin Hospital’s strategic plan and demonstrates its dedication to enhancing patient satisfaction and overall experience. To commemorate this milestone, the hospital hosted a ceremony today for team members, acknowledging their invaluable contributions toward this goal and celebrating their commitment to the community.
“In November 2023, our team set a goal to elevate our patient experience from four stars to five stars,” said Jeff Dial, president of ECU Health Duplin Hospital.
“We have dedicated our time and energy to enhancing patient satisfaction through team member engagement and targeted, deliberate improvements. Achieving this five-star recognition reflects our determination and commitment to providing high-quality, compassionate care to our patients and community. I am incredibly grateful for our team’s hard work and dedication in reaching this milestone.”
CMS uses the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) Survey to determine and publicly report star ratings based on 10 key measures of patient experience. These measures include communication with nurses, communication with doctors, responsiveness of hospital staff, pain management, communication about medicines, discharge Information, cleanliness of the hospital environment, quietness of the hospital environment, overall rating of the hospital and recommendation of the hospital.
“The experience of patients and families is at the heart of safe, highly-reliable human centered rural health care. ECU Health, and our mission to improve the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina, is where compassion, connection and partnerships all come together to create hope, healing and lasting impressions,” said Dr. Julie Kennedy Oehlert, ECU Health Chief Experience Officer. “This CMS five-star patient experience rating at ECU Health Duplin Hospital signifies to us that our patients trust and value our care. It is the result of an intentional focus on creating truly exceptional loving experiences for our patients and their families. I could not be more proud of the ECU Health Duplin Hospital team.”
CMS created the Five-Star Quality Rating System to help patients, their families and caregivers compare hospitals and other health care facilities, showcasing excellence in health care.
On April 12, ECU Health teams joined forces with Pitt-Greenville Airport and other local agencies, including fire/rescue teams, emergency management and police, for an emergency exercise, simulating a mass-casualty aircraft accident.
This full-scale exercise included volunteers acting as patients and involved various ECU Health departments to demonstrate preparedness for critical situations.
Chris Starbuck, system director of Emergency Management at ECU Health, emphasized the importance of these exercises.
“Participating in the airport exercise is a vital part of our preparedness strategy. It allows us to test our emergency response plans, strengthen communication with our community partners and ensure we’re ready to provide the highest level of care when seconds count. These collaborations are key to saving lives during large-scale incidents,” Starbuck said.
Leaders and team members from the Emergency Department, Trauma, hospital supervisors, Children’s, police, marketing and communications, decedent care and Eastern Healthcare Preparedness Coalition collaborated in a table-top exercise, discussing each person’s role in the event.
The ECU Health EastCare team was also present with a helicopter and ECU Health Medical Center’s ambulance bus stopped by to showcase its readiness to transport patients in a real emergency scenario.
Throughout the drill, ECU Health teams reviewed the notification process, patient movement strategies and interactions with Greenville Fire/Rescue, Pitt County Emergency Management, police and others.
The goal of this exercise was to identify opportunities to improve processes and give organizations in Pitt County time to work together, ensuring readiness to adapt and respond quickly and efficiently in real emergencies.
This drill was a valuable learning experience for all involved, enhancing preparedness and confidence in handling critical situations.
Resources
ECU Health Emergency & Trauma
Maynard Children’s Hospital
ECU Health EastCare