Greenville, N.C. – June 1, 2021 – Vidant Health is proud to announce a new collaboration with Mayo Clinic Laboratories that gives Vidant access to Mayo Clinic’s extensive menu of primary reference laboratory tests and clinical expertise, adding to its state of the art laboratory capabilities. Through this collaboration, Vidant is furthering its mission by providing immediate, curated access to complex tests performed by Mayo Clinic to eastern North Carolinians.
Through its worldwide network of more than 4,000 clients, Mayo Clinic Laboratories enables hospitals, medical centers, and health care organizations around the world to send tests to the laboratories of Mayo Clinic, which are some of the most sophisticated in the world.
As a uniquely rural academic health care system, Vidant is constantly seeking new innovations to bring world class health care to eastern North Carolina. Vidant’s extensive laboratory services and locations will continue to perform the vast majority of tests. The collaboration with Mayo provides Vidant additional data and insights into certain tests and further strengthens the health system’s current advanced testing capabilities.
“This is an exciting time for both the present and future of health care in eastern North Carolina,” said Dave Harlow, vice president of operations – allied health, Vidant Health. “The COVID-19 pandemic taught us the importance of continuing to build our state-of-the-art lab infrastructure to ensure those we serve have access to the tests they need. This new collaboration with Mayo Clinic Laboratories will further enhance our already advanced testing services and will help inform the future of complex testing here at Vidant. This benefits all of eastern North Carolina.”
Vidant’s access to Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ test menu further strengthens Vidant’s ability to provide the highest quality laboratory testing for eastern North Carolina resulting in faster results for patients. Community members can continue to rely on Vidant’s enhanced testing capability for access to quality care close to home.
Specimens taken at any Vidant patient service center will be transported via air to Mayo Clinic Laboratories, with test results often available the following day through an interface. Additionally, Mayo Clinic physicians and scientists in every specialty laboratory will collaborate with the Vidant team regarding test selection, utilization and methodologies, and result interpretation.
“The school nurses have been instrumental in getting their school staff trained and prepared for the use of Stop the Bleed kits,” Erika Greene, pediatric trauma program manager for Maynard Children’s Hospital at ECU Health Medical Center, said. “We have expanded our outreach to Wayne County Schools while working towards our goal of providing education and placement of Stop the Bleed kits at each public school within the 29-county Vidant Health region.”
One of the most common contributing factors in trauma-related events is preventable blood loss. Approximately 40 percent of trauma-related deaths worldwide can be attributed to bleeding or its consequence. The items in these kits help control the loss of blood, leading to positive outcomes for those who sustain injuries.
The Stop the Bleed Kits are funded by Children’s Miracle Network along with training in the use of a combat tourniquet provided by Maynard Children’s Hospital. They were distributed to Wayne County Schools with education to ensure schools are prepared in the event of a trauma incident.
The Pediatric Trauma Department of Maynard Children’s Hospital distributed 66 kits to cover the 33 public schools in Wayne County with the assistance of the VMC Trauma Outreach Coordinator.
“Vidant Health provided an awesome comprehensive Stop the Bleed training for the school nurses of Wayne County Public Schools,” said Kim Kennedy, manager of School Health Services for Wayne County Schools. “Thanks to Stop the Bleed and The Children’s Miracle Network, all WCPS campuses will be equipped with tourniquet kits that can be utilized in the event someone suffers severe bleeding. We thank Vidant Health and The Children’s Miracle Network for sponsoring this vitally important project.”
Vidant encourages all community members age 15 and older to complete the CHNA survey and provide meaningful feedback on how Vidant can continue to improve health and well-being in eastern North Carolina. The survey takes approximately 10 minutes to complete and all responses are confidential. Your feedback helps ensure health care needs are met in the 29 counties Vidant serves. The survey is open through June 18.
The full CHNA process involves collection and analysis of a large range of data, including demographic, socioeconomic and health statistics, and most importantly, feedback from community members. The completed CHNA analysis and results serve as the basis for prioritizing methods to meet the community’s health needs in order to improve the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina.
The survey is in both English and Spanish and can be found at VidantHealth.com/CHNA.
Vaccinations will be offered at the Vidant/Pitt County Large-Scale Vaccine Clinic at the Greenville Convention Center and second dose appointments will be scheduled on-site at the time of the appointment.
There are currently a large number of appointments available, which can also be scheduled by any eligible community member. Appointments are required and available as supplies last, and can be scheduled at VidantHealth.com/Vaccinate.
College students should bring their student ID at the time of their appointment.
Although the vaccine offers great hope, Vidant encourages everyone to do their part to keep communities in the region safe from COVID-19: wear a mask, social distance and wash hands. Those who receive the vaccine should still practice these important safety measures.
After closing in June 2020, we spent several months diligently assessing how to best utilize the building, while also exploring how to improve access to patient services. Balancing both the community’s passion for the Greenville-based Wellness Center, as well as the need to expand patient services, the organization carefully redesigned the Wellness Center’s space and service model that is mission-focused and sustainable.
The Wellness Center in Greenville will re-open later this year as a destination facility for Vidant’s wellness and outpatient rehabilitation services. Additional details about timing, employment opportunities and memberships at the Wellness Center in Greenville will be shared in the coming months.
Fitness Center
Fitness Center offerings will include membership access to exercise equipment, pool and aquatic programs, group exercise classes, personal training and a KidZone. Services like the Café, CrossFit, children’s gym and camps will not be offered in the revised model.
Outpatient Rehabilitation Services
Vidant’s three Greenville-based outpatient rehabilitation clinics will all relocate to new space at the Wellness Center. This centralized location will improve convenience and accessibility for patients as well as team member collaboration. Vidant Outpatient Rehabilitation includes adult, children and aquatic programs; comprehensive speech, physical and occupational therapy; and many specialty services.
Lifestyle Medicine Clinic
The Lifestyle Medicine Clinic currently housed at the Greenville-based Wellness Center will continue to offer patient visits with medical providers for nutrition, weight loss, diabetes, tobacco cessation, exercise as medicine and other lifestyle treatments. The clinic will also provide wellness programs to Vidant team members.
Ahoskie and Washington Wellness Centers
Vidant plans to resume operation of the Wellness Centers in Ahoskie and Washington, which have been closed due to COVID-19. Outpatient rehab and cardiopulmonary rehab services remain open in the Washington Wellness Center. Children’s after school and upcoming summer camps also remain open in the Ahoskie Wellness Center. The timing for opening these facilities, along with the Greenville-based Wellness Center, is dependent on the ongoing impact of the pandemic.
Vidant remains committed to meeting the health care needs of eastern North Carolina and improving the health and well-being of the region.
ECU Health Cancer Care is pleased to announce it now offers new, comprehensive cancer care services including hematology, medical oncology, radiation oncology, and surgery to residents of the greater Roanoke Valley area for treatment of solid tumors and hematological malignancies, as part of its integration with Vidant North Hospital. Dr. John Huffman, formerly of the Boice-Willis Clinic in Rocky Mount, will provide hematology and medical oncology services, which are new at Vidant North.
In addition to chemotherapy, Vidant North offers comprehensive cancer services and greater access to all necessary cancer care:
- Chemotherapy
- 3D Mammography
- Radiation Oncology
- Surgery
- CT
- MRI
- Gastroenterology
- Internal Medicine
- Endoscopy
- Emergency Medicine
- Ultrasound
- Primary Care
- Consultation
- Rapid Referrals
- Screenings
“This is an important day for Vidant North Hospital and the communities it serves,” said Dr. Vijay Chaudhary, director of regional oncology, ECU Health Cancer Care. “Providing high-quality, comprehensive cancer care close to home is an important part of how we meet our mission to improve the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina. I am pleased to welcome Dr. Huffman to the team.”
ECU Health Cancer Care’s cancer services offer greater access to those who call the valley home, including Roanoke Rapids, Enfield, Littleton, Rocky Mount, Scotland Neck and Warrenton. It is closely connected with other ECU Health Cancer Care resources, including the tertiary care team in Greenville.
“We’re excited to now offer the comprehensive cancer services of ECU Health Cancer Care, right here in the Roanoke Valley with the grand opening of our Cancer Care Center at Vidant North,” said Will Mahone, president, Vidant North. “Dr. Huffman brings decades of experience and expertise to our region and our entire cancer care team will deliver specialty care to the many patients seeking necessary cancer services in the area.”
Nurse Practitioner Elizabeth Inscoe has joined Dr. Huffman at Vidant North and existing patients of Dr. Huffman are welcome to transfer care to Vidant North and continue their treatment.
“I am thrilled to join the teams at ECU Health Cancer Care and Vidant North Hospital,” Dr. Huffman said. “This opportunity allows me to continue to serve the community in a meaningful way and to build upon the relationships I have with my patients and their loved ones. I look forward to continuing to serve and provide high-quality cancer care in this new role.”
Located in a freshly-renovated, convenient space on the second floor of Vidant North, ECU Health Cancer Care is available for medical oncology referrals, appointments, consults and other information. To learn more about these services, visit VidantCancerCare.com.
For medical referrals, appointments and consultations, call 252-535-8240.