Dr. Jacob Pierce
Fall is upon us, and along with the cooler weather and changing leaves, we are expecting to see an increase in respiratory viruses. While it might be too late for ECU football’s conference championship dreams, it’s not too late to increase your chances of staying healthy this respiratory viral season. Respiratory viruses may be an inconvenience for many of us, but they can be devastating for those with certain conditions. Fortunately, vaccines and treatments are available for the major respiratory viruses expected to be circulating this Fall and Winter.
Testing positive for influenza, COVID-19, RSV and other respiratory viruses can be unsettling, but it’s important to remember that we’re equipped with the knowledge and tools to handle it effectively. If you test positive, reach out to your health care provider immediately. For those who are a bit more vulnerable—like older adults, people with underlying health conditions or a weakened immune system—getting early treatment really makes a difference. It can help keep symptoms from getting worse and get you back on your feet faster.
Medications available today for some respiratory viruses like COVID-19 can significantly reduce the severity of symptoms and lower the risk of hospitalization. As an infectious disease physician at ECU Health, I have seen firsthand how devastating these respiratory viruses can be for at-risk individuals. This underscores the importance of acting quickly and taking advantage of these treatments when eligible.
Treatment is just one part of the equation; preventative measures remain as vital as ever. The 2024–25 COVID-19 and influenza vaccines are available this Fall, and staying up to date with vaccinations is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself and those around you. We also now have FDA-approved RSV vaccines for all adults ages 75 years and older. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommends the vaccine for adults ages 60-74 years who are at increased risk of severe RSV.
It is important to recognize that some of the most vulnerable in our community – such as newborns or individuals on chemotherapy don’t have a strong enough immune system for vaccines to work. They rely on the healthy among us to get vaccinated and keep them safe. I know that some of you reading this may have concerns about vaccinations. I encourage you to discuss which vaccines might be right for you with your health care provider. I get my vaccines every year, not to protect myself, but to protect anyone in our community who cannot get them for whatever reason.
Additionally, basic hygiene practices, like frequent handwashing, avoiding close contact with sick individuals and wearing masks in crowded or high-risk areas, continue to be simple yet powerful tools in preventing the spread of respiratory viruses.
By staying informed, acting quickly when needed and embracing preventive measures, we can navigate this season safely and protect the health of our community. It’s not just about avoiding illness; it’s about doing our part to ensure the well-being of those around us. Together, we can make a difference in managing this year’s respiratory viral season and look forward to baseball season.
Dr. Jacob Pierce is the medical director of infection prevention at ECU Health and a clinical assistant professor at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University.
Across the ECU Health system, hospitals recognized Veterans Day with events honoring those who have served our nation and thanking those who have chosen to serve in a new way at ECU Health.
At ECU Health Medical Center in Greenville, team members gathered around the flagpole just after 9 a.m. to come together, connect with other veterans, and appreciate one another’s service to the country and eastern North Carolina.
Dr. Virginia Hardy, vice president and chief inclusion and belonging officer at ECU Health, hosted the event and welcomed in team members.
“Today, we celebrate not only your past service, but also your legacy of courage and honor,” she said. “Our veterans remind us that our freedom is not just a right, it is a responsibility. Freedom today means different perspectives, engaging and constructive dialogue and ensuring that every voice has been heard.”
Cameron Graham, manager of electrical and mechanical systems in Plant Operations at ECU Health, gave a roll call for each branch of the United States military with veterans responding with their branch battle cry.
He shared that his service in the Navy helped shape his perspective as a leader and in his daily work at ECU Health.
“My brother was in the service, also in the Navy, and he was kind of my hero, so I followed his tracks,” Graham said. “When I attained the rank of Chief, we used to do what was called an initiation. You’re taught humility, to never forget from whence you came, and those who made you who you are. That has served me well, not only in the military but at ECU Health as well.”
Wayne Waters, a mechanic with Plant Operations at ECU Health, led the Pledge of Allegiance during the event. He served in the National Guard and said he took lessons from his time in the service that he sees in his work each day at ECU Health.
“A lot of my family in the past had been military, so growing up it was just the right thing to do. I’m just proud to be a part of the service,” Waters said. “Being young and going in, it helped me with structure in my life. It really taught me to be team player, being part of a team and working together.”
Trish Baise, chief nursing executive at ECU Health, said as the daughter of a veteran, she’s proud to participate in these events and recognize others for their service and sacrifice.
She said the sense of service in those who serve in the military does not fade and we see that each day in eastern North Carolina and at ECU Health.
“Our neighbors, friends and family members who have served often return home to continue their legacy of services,” Baise said. “They become teachers, first responders, health care professionals and community leaders. The sense of commitment is part of what makes eastern North Carolina unique – a place where selflessness and service are not just values, but a way of life.”
At ECU Health, we’re grateful today and every day for the service of our veterans. We’re proud of the more than 550 ECU Health team members and 60 medical students, faculty and staff at the Brody School of Medicine who have decided to continue their service to others after their time in the military.
This year, the ECU Health Medical Center’s microbiology laboratory upgraded its technology by adding the BD Kiestra Total Lab Automation (TLA) system. The new equipment improves standardization in laboratory processes, enhances lab efficiency and centralizes microbiology testing. This automated solution to laboratory challenges represents ECU Health’s ongoing pursuit of innovation, efficiency and process improvement.
The Kiestra TLA system is an end-to-end automated lab culture workflow from plate labeling, inoculation, incubation, plate reading, imaging, reading and follow up work, to maximizing staff productivity. “Previously, after incubating cultures, you took the plates out and read each one from the oldest to the newest, but if the culture wasn’t robust enough, the plate had to go back in the incubator,” Caryl Havasy, the system administrator of laboratory service lines, said.
Heather Duncan, the director of ECU Health Medical Center’s laboratory services, further explained the challenge. “Think about incubating plates like baking a cake in the oven,” she said. “The whole time the plate is out of the incubator, it’s not growing the organism, just like a cake stops baking once you take it out of the oven. This can delay an organism’s growth and delay the test results.”
Furthermore, reading plates was subject to human experience and error. The Kiestra, Havasy and Duncan said, takes photos of the plates and uses AI algorithms to see an organism’s growth before the human eye can detect it. “This technology means there’s no variation in how the sample is applied to a plate” Duncan said. That means there’s no delay due to rework, and there’s less room for error.
Acquiring the technology was a four-year process, which included establishing a business case, investing funds, working through construction to get the microbiology lab space ready, installing equipment and training lab technicians. The lab opened officially this past July, and on Oct. 8, the team hosted an open house to celebrate the new technology with a ribbon cutting ceremony and tours for those interested in seeing the new equipment.
It was a great opportunity for Dr. Niti Armistead, the chief quality officer and chief clinical officer at ECU Health, to see the newest technology in action. “The Kiestra is an investment in our people, specifically our laboratory and microbiology team,” she shared. “These are highly trained professionals, and this technology takes away manual, inefficient tasks and allows them to use their skills and education to the fullest extent. This in turn drives improvement in safety with fewer manual errors, efficiency and professional fulfillment. It is another example of how we are advancing our vision to be the national model for rural health as it will be processing specimens from all of our hospitals.”
Jay Briley, the president of ECU Health Medical Center, also attended the event. “It’s exciting to see ECU Health continue to invest in cutting-edge technology like the Kiestra Total Lab Automation system. The system streamlines our processes, reduces manual errors, and allows our highly skilled lab professionals to focus on what matters the most: delivering timely, life-saving results,” he said. “The Kiestra TLA system is a testament to ECU Health’s commitment to innovation and the health and well-being of our patients.”
Andy Zukowski, ECU Health’s chief financial officer, highlighted the value of ECU Health’s investment in this new technology: “The Kiestra Total Lab Automation system represents significant innovation and value for ECU Health. By streamlining our microbiology lab’s processes, it enhances the patient experience and quality of care we provide all while improving throughout and cost savings. The long-term return on investment is clear, as it positions us to continue delivering innovative high-quality care while maintaining fiscal responsibility.”
Amy Campbell, PhD, RN, CPHQ, LSSBB, quality nurse specialist III, represented ECU Health on Sept. 25 at a side event held in parallel to the 79th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York City. The meeting, titled “2030 Global Agenda for Sepsis for Attaining Sustainable Development Goals,” was convened as a collaborative effort of the Global Sepsis Alliance (GSA), Medical Women’s International Association, Sepsis Stiftung and UNITE Parliamentarians Network for Global Health.
The meeting was the first-ever global strategy spearheaded by the GSA, with collaboration from 70 partner and member organizations from Regional Sepsis Alliances across Africa, Asia-Pacific, the Caribbean, eastern Mediterranean, Europe, Latin America and North America. The meeting’s objectives were:
- To present the 2030 Global Agenda for Sepsis as the first multi-year global strategy to alleviate the significant human, societal, economic and health care burden of Sepsis.
- To reach consensus on the urgent need for reinvigorating the Sepsis responses at global, regional and national levels for the attainment of 2030 SDGs including the aspirations for Universal Health Care, Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health, AMR, Pandemic PPR, Gender Equality, Peace and Partnerships for Development.
- To discuss the critical role of health care workers, especially the medical women, representing over 70% of the health workforce globally, in the promotion and implementation of the 2030 Global Agenda for Sepsis.
- To call for establishment of a High-Level Political Platform for Sepsis to lead integration of this global health threat into the mainstream of health and development dialogue and architecture, including G7 and G20 Summits, World Health Assemblies, UN General Assemblies, and World Economic Forums.
Dr. Campbell was personally invited to attend and speak by Dr. Mariam Jashi, MD, MPH, MPA and the CEO of the Global Sepsis Alliance, and Michael Wong, founder and executive director of the physician-patient alliance for health and safety. This invitation came as a follow-up to the 2024 World Sepsis Congress held this past April, during which Campbell served on the Scientific Committee. “I saw the invite and initially blew it off,” Dr. Campbell laughed. “I wasn’t sure it was real.” But after reassurance the invitation was legitimate, and with the encouragement of her team and Michael Wong, Dr. Campbell decided to go to New York. “I had a training session scheduled at work, but my colleagues covered for me,” she said. “I’m so thankful to my team and leaders who made it so I could attend.”
Once she arrived at the New York University campus, where the parallel session was held, Dr. Campbell said she met many leaders from across the world. “I met Dr. Eleanor Nwadinobi, the president of the Medical Women’s International Association (MWIA), Thomas Heymann, the president and CEO of the Sepsis Alliance and the Honorable Dr. Ricardo Baptista Leite, a member of the Portugese Parliament. People were speaking all these different languages and here I was from eastern North Carolina.”
The meeting focused on early detection of sepsis and how to treat patients with sepsis, no matter where they live. “As one of the speakers, I had the opportunity to emphasize the urgency of early detection, the critical need for continued research and the importance of securing funding so that everyone, regardless of their geographic location, can receive the same standard of care and chance for survival,” Dr. Campbell said. The speakers also discussed what they anticipated to be the next big problem with sepsis: antibiotic resistance.
Dr. Campbell said it was a great opportunity to represent the work she and ECU Health are doing to address the global problem of sepsis. “The attendees were impressed with the work we’re doing. ECU Health is a big deal; we have incredible people and talent, and we deserve a seat at the table,” she said. And next year, she has a seat waiting for her. “I’ve been invited back to speak next year, and I’ll work more with the GSA,” she shared. “We all have a lot to learn and do. Sepsis transcends borders, affecting individuals of all ages, races and socioeconomic backgrounds. However, the most vulnerable populations – children, the elderly and those in low-resource settings – are disproportionately impacted. Sepsis doesn’t wait, and neither can we.”
Greenville, N.C. – ECU Health Medical Center has been nationally recognized as a national leader in patient experience for the second consecutive year, according PEP Health’s 2025 rankings. PEP Health evaluated more than 35 million online reviews from patients and their families in 2024, offering a real-time look at patient experiences across health care providers nationwide.
ECU Health Medical Center’s recognition was highlighted by top-5 national rankings in several categories including overall patient experience, communication & involvement and emotional support.
“At ECU Health, creating caring experiences for our patients and team members is at the core of our mission,” said Dr. Julie Kennedy Oehlert, chief experience officer at ECU Health. “Our definition of excellence is shaped by feedback from our patients and fostered by the compassion and dedication of our team. Being recognized nationally for our excellence in communication and emotional support is a rewarding acknowledgment of the safe, healing environments we strive to create. We are committed to continually listening and evolving to meet the needs of those we are honored to serve.”
PEP Health’s 2025 Rankings focus on hospitals with at least 750 staffed beds and at least 250 patient experience comments left online between Sept. 1, 2023, and Sept. 1, 2024. These comments, sourced from patients and their families on social media and review platforms, were analyzed against seven internationally recognized domains of patient-centered care: fast access, effective treatment, emotional support, communication & involvement, attention to physical and environmental needs, continuity of care, and billing and administration.
According to PEP Health, research has shown that enhancing patient experience is not only associated with improved care outcomes, but also strengthens financial performance, safety and health equity. Positive patient experiences directly impact CMS Star Ratings, which are closely tied to reimbursement rates and play a critical role in driving new patients and increasing patient retention. ECU Health’s commitment to delivering exceptional care in eastern North Carolina ensures that the most vulnerable populations in receive the support and attention they need.
“This recognition is a testament to the unwavering dedication of our team members who bring compassion and empathy to every patient interaction,” said Brian Floyd, chief operating officer, ECU Health. “Caring for patients during some of life’s most challenging moments is more than a job – it’s a calling. I am incredibly proud of the heart and commitment our team demonstrates every day. Earning this national recognition for patient experience reflects their hard work and the trust our patients place in us, and we will continue to prioritize compassionate, patient-centered care in all we do.”
It was a packed house at ECU Health’s Monroe Conference Center on Oct. 1, as ECU Health and Pitt County Department of Social Services (DSS) welcomed dozens of community-based health partners for a conference designed to help tackle a complex challenge: reducing unnecessary emergency department utilization to ensure enhanced access for those needing emergency care.
It is no secret that overcrowding in emergency departments is a challenge facing hospitals across the country. ECU Health Medical Center, the only Level I Trauma Center in ECU Health’s 29 county service area, is no exception. The medical center serves a largely underserved rural region where access to care is difficult for many. That includes primary care, behavioral health care and other services best rendered in outpatient settings. Combined with a disproportionate number of uninsured community members, this lack of access to care means patients often times end up at hospital emergency departments.
Dr. Leigh Patterson, chief of services for emergency medicine at ECU Health Medical Center and chair of emergency medicine at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, said ECU Health’s nine hospitals will see nearly 250,000 visits to the emergency department this year, with more than half of those occurring at the medical center. She said conversations with key community health leaders, like the one hosted by ECU Health and Pitt County DSS, can help ensure community members are aware of, and have access to, non-emergent health care resources outside the emergency department setting.
“When I look at what happens inside the emergency department, I see the opportunity for us to help fill the care gaps that exist outside of it,” Dr. Patterson told the group, noting that she sees about 225 adult patients per day in the medical center ED, about 40% of whom could be more appropriately served in an outpatient setting. “When it comes to addressing this problem, it will take all of us as a health care community to make meaningful change. That’s why I’m heartened that so many of you have joined us today to work together toward solutions that make an impact in our community.”
The conference represented true regional community collaboration. Health care partners present at the conference included ECU Health, DSS Directors from across eastern North Carolina, Juvenile Justice, Trillium Health Services, Public School leaders, NC DHHS, payors and other eastern North Carolina hospitals and key stakeholders.
“The ECU Health/Pitt County DSS ED conference was an excellent example of cross system collaboration,” said conference co-sponsor Sharon Rochelle, director, Pitt County DSS. “This was a day to build mutually beneficial partnerships that have common goals to better serve the children and adults of the community.”
The conversation focused on both adult and pediatric/adolescent patient populations and heavily examined the challenges that behavioral health patients face accessing care. Despite the new inpatient behavioral health hospital slated to open in Greenville in 2025, those in attendance agreed that the issue needed immediate attention which involves creating increased interconnectedness among those providing care both in the community and in the hospital setting.
“We are grateful for all agencies involved in this important and challenging work,” said Jacob Parrish, vice president of capacity and throughput at ECU Health. “We know that the complex challenges we face cannot be solved at emergency departments alone. We are fortunate to have so many committed partners who share our vision for continuous improvement through strong relationships and close collaboration. Together, we can ensure the highest quality of care for communities across the East.”
The recent meeting was the first day of the two-day conference, largely centered around examining the issues through open and honest conversations. Those in attendance will reconvene later in the month for the second meeting to develop an action plan with concrete steps and strategies for improving access to care and reducing unnecessary ED utilization in eastern North Carolina.
“This is a complex set of issues, but I am confident we have the right people in our community committed to finding the solutions,” said Brian Floyd, ECU Health chief operating officer. “While these challenges are not exclusive to our health system or region, I know that together we can help support our emergency departments and improve the experience for those needing access to high-quality emergency care which is rendered at our hospitals every single day.”
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Dr. James Speicher, a thoracic surgeon at ECU Health Medical Center and director of the Thoracic Surgery residency program, and his team are working to improve pain management in patients after their surgery.
After meeting with other thoracic surgeons outside of the ECU Health system and hearing a presentation on non-opioid pain management, Dr. Speicher knew it was something he wanted to bring to his thoracic surgery patients in eastern North Carolina.
“I said, ‘That’s a great idea.’ I came back from the meeting and said to the team, ‘Hey, let’s try to do this.’ It took us some time to get access to one of the medications we would use in the pain management protocol, but we started with our protocol multimodal pain management while avoiding narcotics in 2019.”
Dr. Speicher said the new pain management protocol includes a long-acting local anesthetic for nerve blocks, along with a muscle relaxer, nerve pain medication, acetaminophen and anti-inflammatories.
The goal of the program was to send fewer patients home with prescription narcotics while limiting the use of patient-controlled analgesia pumps for patients in the hospital after surgery.
As the team looked at surgical data from 2016-19 and compared it to the study, running from 2019 to today, he said the team found even better results than they were expecting.
“What we found with our study was we had really significant reductions in the uses of opioids. It was around an 85 to 90 percent reduction in our opioid use inpatient and around 60 percent of patients weren’t going home with any sort of narcotic prescriptions,” Dr. Speicher said. “The other thing that was really impressive to me in the study was that our average pain score was actually better for our patients on the non-narcotic protocol. We were reducing the use of narcotics on the floor, sending people home with less prescriptions and introducing fewer opioids into the community, all while actually doing a better job controlling their pain.”
The opioid-free pain management program is part of a larger enhanced recovery after surgery protocol, which Dr. Speicher and his team has been working on over the last few years. He said the team has put in place walking protocols and pre-operative carbohydrate loading along with other changes that have been shown to improve outcomes for patients.
This program is active for thoracic surgeries at ECU Health Medical Center.
“This is exciting work for us because we’re really focusing on helping make patients comfortable, controlling their pain post-surgery and getting them home more quickly,” Dr. Speicher said. “If we can do all of that without a narcotic prescription, that’s a really big win for the patients we serve and the community as a whole.”
When Dr. Tate Holbrook, a pediatric hematologist, founded the Comprehensive Sickle Cell Disease Program at East Carolina University in 1979, he was inspired by the need for basic health care services specifically designed to meet the unique needs of sickle cell patients.
Now, 45 years later, the program stands proudly as a leader in North Carolina at providing state-of-the-art medical care for those living with sickle cell disease, and its founder credits the annual Tate Holbrook Annual Sickle Cell Disease Update conference as a key component of that success.
“ECU has a reputation as being a hands-on, compassionate and people-centered organization,” said Dr. Holbrook, who the conference was named after following his retirement in 2022. “The care at ECU Health Medical Center is exceptional and it’s because of the people who really care. This conference is a big cooperative effort that brings like-minded people together such as researchers, pharmaceutical companies, and others who are helping create advancements in treatment for sickle cell patients.”
The Tate Holbrook Annual Sickle Cell Disease Update is hosted by East Carolina University’s Comprehensive Sickle Cell Program and the Department of Pediatrics Hematology/Oncology, in collaboration with Eastern AHEC. The goal of the conference is to bring together medical professionals and patients to bridge the gap of communication and to improve treatment for patients with sickle cell disease.
To meet this goal, professionals with knowledge and recognition in the sickle cell community discuss the latest advances in treatment of sickle cell disease, cutting edge research, established and new medications and therapies, as well as psychosocial interventions. Conference organizers aim to encourage further discussion between providers and patients to create an environment focused on patient needs.
The most recent conference was hosted at Eastern AHEC on Sept. 6 and brought together medical professionals with 25 patients and six community-based vendors together to learn in a collaborative environment and provide resources to those living with sickle cell disease.
“I’ve come to this conference every year since 2009 when I retired and moved down here,” said Stephanie King, 70, who lives with sickle cell disease. “I think people with the disease should come to these types of events because there’s so much to learn about sickle cell. I go places and I speak about my experience and I have young people that come up to me and say ‘Oh my gosh, you can live this long with sickle cell disease?’ and I always say ‘Yes!’ With medical enhancements and the resources available, we can make it to 70 and beyond.”
Patients like King are at the heart of the conference. The concept of collaborative comprehensive care helps provide state of the art medical care for patients, including education of families and health care providers, psychosocial support to patients, families and community groups, and access to new and innovative therapies. It also emphasizes a close working relationship with other agencies involved in the care of individuals with hemoglobinopathies, including medical centers, community-based sickle cell programs, and the NC Sickle Cell Syndrome Program.
The collaborative approach is what drives progress forward for those living with sickle cell disease, according to Dr. Beng Fuh, current program director of the Comprehensive Sickle Cell Disease Program at ECU.
“One of the most important parts of this conference is that it brings patients with sickle cell together with medical providers,” said Dr. Fuh. “We get to facilitate that exchange between patients and providers to learn how we can improve things and how we can get better. Sickle cell functions best when we take that collaborative approach. When we can hear from each other, we make our providers better and we improve understanding of the disease for patients. When we’re here together we gain a greater appreciation for the fact that we’re all on the same team.”
The Great 100 Nurses in North Carolina honors the nursing profession by recognizing nurses around the state for their commitment to excellence. The recipients are distinguished for their outstanding professional ability as well as their contributions to improving health care services in their communities. This year, 19 ECU Health nurses were recognized as honorees, including Dennis Campbell, II, Myra Thomson, Alex Gilbert, Gina Coldwell and Lou Ann Proctor.
Dennis Campbell, II
Although he is now the president of ECU Health Beaufort Hospital and the interim president at ECU Health North Hospital, Dennis Campbell, II began his career in 2004 as a nurse in the medical/surgical intensive care unit. Over time, he spent his early career in the emergency department, the burn center and the telemetry floor, and he was a staff nurse educator and a clinical educator for local nursing schools in his home state of Indiana.
However, a job opportunity brought him to eastern North Carolina, and he’s since navigated his way into quality leadership, corporate compliance, behavioral health and nursing leadership.
Dennis said finding his path to nursing was a winding road. “I was looking for something I could do that would provide a secure job,” he shared. “I shadowed a nurse in the local community as well as a respiratory therapist. What attracted me to nursing was how polished that nurse was. She was neatly dressed in white scrubs and a hat. The way she presented herself to her patients made me say, ‘I can do that.’” What kept Dennis coming back day after day was the difference he was making every day. “It’s the connection with people at the most vulnerable times of their lives,” he said. “I get to make the ordinary extraordinary, and if there’s something I can do to put a smile on your face, that also fills my cup.” That hasn’t changed since Dennis found his way into leadership roles. “It’s a platform that impacts healthcare and people in a larger way.”
Still, Dennis was surprised that “little old me” was nominated for and selected as a Great 100 Nurse. “It says a lot about what my colleagues think about me, and I’m grateful,” he said. “And it’s good for all Great 100 nurses, because it’s often the case that we are the unsung heroes. It means people are taking notice and want to recognize those who give their heart and soul.” Dennis said the honor is also a legacy for his family. “They don’t get to go to work with me every day and see what I do, and my work is hard to quantify. To have that recognition is impactful to my family.”
Myra Thomson
Myra Thomson, a nurse manager in the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) and the Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy program at ECU Health Medical Center, decided to be a nurse because her mother was a nurse. “It was all I knew; I was raised in a medical profession home. It fit me and my personality,” Myra said.
The East Carolina University graduate began her career with ECU Health right after graduation. During her clinical rotation on the medical intermediate unit, she had the opportunity to shadow in the MICU. This confirmed Myra’s conviction to work with the critically ill patient population. “I love that there’s a complexity, with more than one thing to treat,” Myra said. She also enjoys the MICU team. “It’s the place to be,” she said. “I love my team at work and outside of work. They call me if they need something, and I check in on them. They’re my people.”
Myra said it was amazing to find out she was named a Great 100 Nurse. “It’s an honor for me that the people I work with think enough of me to say what they did about me. It shows they’re exactly why I do what I do.” It’s also special that so many ECU Health nurses are recognized this year. “The nurses here work very hard across the system, and they deserve to be recognized. It makes you proud to work at ECU Health,” Myra said.
Alex Gilbert
Alex Gilbert, a staff nurse III in the surgical intensive care unit (SICU), calls himself a “second generation nurse,” because both of his parents were also nurses. “Mom works in the ECU Health Cancer Center,” Alex said. “Dad was a flight nurse with EastCare. That’s how my parents met.”
Alex used to watch his father on the helipad and wait for him to get off work, which sparked his own interest in a health care profession. That spark was reignited when his grandmother got sick during his senior year of high school. “That renewed my interest and showed me I could care for people. I knew I had a calling.”
After graduating from East Carolina University with his BSN, Alex split his time between the SICU and the ECU Health EastCare Transport Team as a flight RN. He also serves as an EMT-B in the community. Alex said he was surprised when he discovered he was a Great 100 Nurse honoree. “I can think of so many others who deserve this award,” he said. “We don’t do the job for recognition; we do what we do to care for people.” Alex did cite his passion for his work as a key factor in his success, as well as the support from his family and his co-workers. “It’s not just a nine to five job; it’s someone’s life. It’s an honor and a pleasure to care for someone. But I can’t take all the credit. My faith, my family and my co-workers all play a part. I’d put my team up against any in the country, and I wouldn’t be getting this award if not for them. I’m just a piece of the puzzle.”
ECU Health’s representation in the Great 100 Nurses is a testament to the care our nurses provide, and the education and support ECU Health provides its nurses, Alex said. “We’re the biggest level one trauma center East of I-95,” he said. “Our patients are the sickest of the sick, and our nurses are on the top of their game.”
Gina Coldwell
A Newport News, Virginia, native, Gina Coldwell knew she had an interest in nursing early-on, but she couldn’t go to school while caring for her four small children. “I was a stay-at-home mom for 15 years,” she said. “But then I got divorced and was working two minimum-wage jobs and I wanted to do something I enjoyed.” That’s when Gina went back to school and received her associate degree in nursing from Edgecombe Community College in 2019. “I started working at ECU Health that following summer,” Gina said. She began on the Neuroscience Intermediate Unit, but she also continued her education to complete her BSN from East Carolina University in 2021, followed by enrolling in a master’s program at Carson Newman University, with plans to graduate in 2025.
Gina said she didn’t know what specialty she wanted after initially graduating from nursing school. For her, the team on 3 North drew her to the neuroscience unit. It was a challenging first year, but Gina said she has grown to love the challenge. “It’s hard to not take the work home with me,” she said. “But it’s so fascinating. You get such a diverse group of people, from someone who fell and broke their back to someone who had a stroke. It’s not an easy fix, but you have the benefit of seeing the fruits of your labor and how your patients improve. It’s so rewarding and fulfilling.”
That passion is one reason Gina was nominated for and recognized as a Great 100 Nurse. “I was shocked when I found out,” Gina said. “I was proud because I still consider myself a baby nurse. And we have amazing nurses at ECU Health. We’re a Level I Trauma hospital, and everything we deal with is big. You must have your heart in it, and you must have good leadership that recognizes that heart.” Gina also works with new graduates and new hires. “I love to teach and train,” she said. “And if I don’t know something, I ask someone who does. We’ll find out the answer together.”
Lou Ann Proctor
Lou Ann Proctor, a staff nurse IV in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), calls herself a legacy Great 100 Nurse. “My mother, Janice Proctor, was in the first group selected to be a Great 100 Nurse in 1989, the year I graduated from nursing school at ECU,” Lou Ann said. “My Aunt Lucy Weaver and Aunt Becky Lewis were also chosen in 1994 and 1993. Sadly, I just lost my mother last year, and she would have loved this.”
It was her mother’s work that inspired Lou Ann to become a nurse in the first place. “My father was a farmer, so when I turned 15, I wanted to get out of the tobacco fields and I went to work with my mother at Edgecombe General Hospital in Tarboro. I got to work beside her and see how amazing she was at her job,” she said.
Lou Ann has continued that legacy by being nominated as a Great 100 Nurse several times before being an honoree this year, although she remains humble about the work she does every day. “I’ve been a bedside nurse for 35 years and have been involved in Nurse Congress, Quality/EBP Council and my unit council, but there are so many nurses I would nominate for this award. That recognition is overdue and well deserved for them.” When she found out she has won the award this year, the moment was bittersweet. “My co-workers nominated me this time and I was both thrilled and heartbroken to be selected,” she said. “It would have meant so much if my mother was still here. But my Aunt Lucy and family plan to attend the Gala with me and that will make it special.”
The recipients will be honored at a statewide gala in September, to be held in Concord.
Greenville, N.C. – ECU Health performed the first ever pacemaker implantation with Elutia’s EluPro® BioEnvelope on Sept. 5. EluPro, a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved device, is the first antibiotic-eluting device designed to prevent post-operative complications for Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices (CIEDs) such as pacemakers and defibrillators.
“We are proud to be the first to perform a pacemaker implantation with the EluPro BioEnvelope, which is a testament to the work our cardiovascular teams do every day to improve the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina,” said Jay Briley, president, ECU Health Medical Center. “Being the first to perform this groundbreaking procedure with the EluPro BioEnvelope underscores our commitment to bringing cutting-edge solutions directly to the communities we serve. Our patients can access the highest level of care without the need to travel long distances, ensuring that advanced cardiovascular treatments are available right here in eastern North Carolina.”
For high-risk patients, including those with underlying health conditions or advanced age, traditional pacemakers carry a risk of complications such as infection, migration and skin erosion, affecting five to seven percent of patients nationwide, according to the FDA. These issues arise when the body’s immune system treats the device as a foreign object, leading to inflammation, device movement, and, in some cases, serious infections. The EluPro BioEnvelope offers an innovative solution for high-risk patients by combining antibiotic therapy with advanced tissue engineering.
“Eastern North Carolina faces high rates of chronic illnesses like heart disease, diabetes and hypertension, making access to advanced cardiovascular care crucial for our community,” said Dr. John Catanzaro, John “Jack” Rose distinguished professor and chief of the Division of Cardiology at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University and director of the East Carolina Heart Institute at ECU Health Medical Center. “Patients with co-morbidities are at higher risk for infection after procedures like pacemaker implantations, and this new technology is a significant step forward in addressing these challenges, as it not only improves patient outcomes but also helps prevent complications that can arise from traditional procedures. I am grateful to the team that helps bring innovations like the EluPro BioEnvelope to our region, demonstrating our commitment to reducing health disparities and ensuring our patients receive the best care possible.”
ECU Health team members that were part of the new procedure include: John Catanzaro, MD, MBA, Jan Lopes, MD, Mark Dixon, RN, David Rouse, cardiovascular technologist, and Tracy Fulcher, cardiovascular technologist. As the academic health system for eastern North Carolina, ECU Health and the Brody School of Medicine perform nearly 1,000 pacemaker implantations per year and ensure patients benefit from the latest medical innovations without having to travel far from home. This integration of academic expertise and clinical care not only enhances patient outcomes but also serves as a vital resource for training the next generation of health care professionals. ECU Health’s commitment to leading the way in advanced cardiovascular treatments demonstrates our ongoing mission to address rural health disparities and improve the well-being of the communities we serve.