Greenville, N.C. – ECU Health is pleased to announce Eric J. DeMaria, MD, as chair of the Department of Surgery for the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University and chief of surgery for ECU Health. Dr. DeMaria has served as the Interim Chair of the ECU Department of Surgery since January 2023 and will officially begin his new role serving both ECU Health and the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University on Monday, April 1.
“Dr. DeMaria’s appointment as chair of the Department of Surgery for the Brody School of Medicine at ECU and chief of Surgery for ECU Health improves avenues for collaboration and building a high-quality clinical and academic culture to meet the needs of eastern North Carolina,” said Dr. Michael Waldrum, CEO of ECU Health and dean of the Brody School of Medicine. “With proven experience in surgical excellence and leadership, Dr. DeMaria’s leadership and expertise will be instrumental in achieving our collective goal of becoming a national academic model for rural health care.”
Dr. DeMaria joined East Carolina University in 2018 as professor and chair of the Division of General and Bariatric Surgery. He has held many academic and clinical roles within the enterprise including senior medical director and vice chair of clinical operations for the Department of Surgery, and most recently as interim chair of the ECU Department of Surgery since January 2023.
In this new role, Dr. DeMaria will be responsible for helping create strategy for delivering surgical services across the system, ensuring the delivery of safe, efficient and high-quality surgical services and the recruitment of surgeons to meet this need. As department chair, he will be responsible for graduate medical programs, the academic pursuits in surgery and the oversight of the ECU Health Physicians Surgeons.
“I am excited to serve eastern North Carolina as chair of the Department of Surgery for the Brody School of Medicine at ECU and chief of surgery for ECU Health,” said Dr. DeMaria. “During my time here, I have had the opportunity to connect rural health care and academic medicine, and I look forward to continue bringing high-quality care to eastern North Carolina as an elite academic medical institution. I look forward to continuing to work closely with the high-quality surgeons, care teams, professors and students who personify the important work we do to meet the surgical needs of the region.”
Dr. DeMaria received his medical degree at Boston University School of Medicine and completed general surgery training at Brown University. He served on the faculty of the Medical College of Virginia at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond, Virginia becoming the founding director of the VCU Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) Center and established one of the first MIS fellowship training programs. Dr. DeMaria’s other appointments include Professor and Vice Chair in the Department of Surgery at Duke University, bariatric surgery practice at WakeMed, Director of Bariatric Surgery at Maryview Medical Center and staff bariatric surgeon Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital.
Dr. DeMaria is internationally recognized for his contributions to bariatric surgery, advanced laparoscopy and minimally invasive surgery. He is an author, speaker and lecturer, who holds numerous leadership positions within societies, boards and committees across the globe.
Greenville, N.C. – ECU Health Medical Center recently achieved its first accreditations from Surgical Review Corporation (SRC) as a Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery and a Center of Excellence in Minimally Invasive Surgery. Recognition as an accredited Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery and Center of Excellence in Minimally Invasive Surgery means that ECU Health Medical Center has met nationally and internationally recognized standards.
“We are proud of all of the work our team members have done to achieve Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery and Center of Excellence in Minimally Invasive Surgery at ECU Health Medical Center,” said Brian Floyd, president of ECU Health Medical Center, chief operating officer, ECU Health. “Earning SRC’s Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery and in Minimally Invasive Surgery accreditations signifies ECU Health’s ability to consistently deliver safe, high-quality care to our patients. Most importantly, these accreditations assure the patients in our region can access cutting-edge care close to home.”
Several surgeons at ECU Health Medical Center have been named Surgeons of Excellence in Robotic Surgery by SRC including:
ECU Health Medical Center surgeons named Surgeons of Excellence in Minimally Invasive Surgery by SRC include:
“Minimally invasive surgeries such as laparoscopic, thoracoscopic, endoscopic and robotic procedures can improve patient outcomes, reduce the risk of complications and reduce recovery times,” said Dr. Carlos Anciano Granadillo, thoracic surgeon, ECU Health, associate professor and chief of thoracic and foregut surgery, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. “These technologies and skillsets allow us to make smaller or practically invisible incisions to perform complex procedures with precision, improving outcomes and impacting recovery times. These accreditations represent all of the training, teamwork, education and procedures we have done to improve patient care.”
Health care facilities and surgeons seeking an SRC accreditation undergo an extensive assessment and inspection process to ensure the applicant meets SRC’s proven standards and requirements. These requirements include surgical volumes, facility equipment, clinical pathways and standardized operating procedures, an emphasis on patient education and continuous quality assessment. Inspectors educate staff in the accredited departments on best practices to help an organization improve its care and services.
“We’re proud to recognize ECU Health Medical Center for its commitment to advancing and providing quality care for all patients,” said Gary M. Pratt, CEO of SRC. “This accreditation signals that this facility is among the best in this specialty and is dedicated to delivering the highest level of care possible.”