University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina Inc

OVERVIEW OF UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEMS OF EASTERN CAROLINA D/B/A ECU HEALTH: AT ECU HEALTH, WE ARE COMMITTED TO IMPROVING THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITIES. EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA RESIDENTS LOOK TO OUR HOSPITALS FOR QUALITY HEALTH CARE. WE WORK HARD TO UPHOLD THE TRUST THAT OUR COMMUNITIES PLACE IN US. THROUGH A CLEAR VISION, DISCIPLINED LEADERSHIP AND COMMITTED EMPLOYEES, ECU HEALTH SERVES THE NEEDS OF THE REGION, INCLUDING THOSE WHO ARE UNDERSERVED AND NEED US THE MOST. OUR MISSION AT ECU HEALTH TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES WE SERVE, TOUCH AND SUPPORT, DRIVES US FAR BEYOND CARING FOR PATIENTS WITHIN THE CONFINES OF OUR HOSPITAL WALLS. IT CALLS US TO HELP MAKE EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA A BETTER, HEALTHIER PLACE TO LIVE. ECU HEALTH IS A NORTH CAROLINA NON-PROFIT CORPORATION WITH HEADQUARTERS IN GREENVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA. ECU HEALTH AND ITS AFFILIATES OPERATE AN INTEGRATED HEALTH CARE DELIVERY SYSTEM THAT SERVES A TOTAL MARKET OF APPROXIMATELY 1.4 MILLION PEOPLE IN 29 CONTIGUOUS COUNTIES IN EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA. THE HEALTH SYSTEM INCLUDES HOSPITALS, PHYSICIAN PRACTICES, OUTPATIENT SERVICES, LONG-TERM CARE, HOME HEALTH, HOSPICE, AND WELLNESS SERVICES. THE HEALTH SYSTEM'S OWNED HOSPITALS ARE ECU HEALTH MEDICAL CENTER, WHICH IS A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL AND AN ACADEMIC MEDICAL CENTER, THAT INCLUDES THE ECU HEALTH BEAUFORT HOSPITAL AS A DEPARTMENT OPERATING AS A CAMPUS OF ECU HEALTH MEDICAL CENTER AND SEVEN OTHER ACUTE CARE HOSPITALS: ECU HEALTH ROANOKE-CHOWAN HOSPITAL, ECU HEALTH EDGECOMBE HOSPITAL, ECU HEALTH CHOWAN HOSPITAL, ECU HEALTH BERTIE HOSPITAL, ECU HEALTH DUPLIN HOSPITAL, ECU HEALTH NORTH HOSPITAL, AND THE OUTER BANKS HOSPITAL. ECU HEALTH MEDICAL CENTER SERVES AS THE TEACHING HOSPITAL FOR THE BRODY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, EAST CAROLINA SCHOOLS OF NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH AND PITT COMMUNITY COLLEGE. THE SYSTEM ALSO SERVES AS A REGIONAL REFERRAL CENTER FOR EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA. THE SYSTEM'S NINE OWNED HOSPITALS ARE LICENSED TO OPERATE 1,708 BEDS. EACH HOSPITAL IS LICENSED BY THE DIVISION OF FACILITY SERVICES OF THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND APPROVED AS A PROVIDER BY THE MEDICARE AND MEDICAID PROGRAMS. ECU HEALTH AND ITS HOSPITALS AND AFFILIATE ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDE SERVICES TO PATIENTS WITHOUT REGARD TO THEIR ABILITY TO PAY. IN FISCAL YEAR 2024 ECU HEALTH'S COMBINED PATIENT CARE STATISTICS WERE: INPATIENT ADMISSIONS, 68,152; INPATIENT DAYS OF CARE, 385,435; SURGERIES, 56,012; BIRTHS, 6,690; AND OUTPATIENT VISITS, 450,414. OUR SYSTEM'S WORKFORCE INCLUDED 13,090 EMPLOYEES. EACH OF ECU HEALTH'S HOSPITALS OPERATES AN EMERGENCY ROOM, WHICH IS OPEN 24 HOURS A DAY. ECU HEALTH MEDICAL CENTER ALSO OFFERS A FULL SPECTRUM OF TRAUMA SERVICES. EMERGENCY AND TRAUMA SERVICES ARE PROVIDED TO PATIENTS WITHOUT REGARD TO THEIR ABILITY TO PAY. IN FISCAL YEAR 2024 ECU HEALTH PROVIDED CARE TO 274,505 EMERGENCY ROOM PATIENTS. ECU HEALTH'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS CONSISTS OF 11 VOTING MEMBERS, SIX OF WHOM MUST BE CURRENT OR FORMER PITT COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA APPOINTEES OF ECU HEALTH MEDICAL CENTER'S BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND FIVE OF WHOM MUST BE CURRENT OR FORMER BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA APPOINTEES OF ECU HEALTH MEDICAL CENTER'S BOARD OF TRUSTEES. ECU HEALTH MEDICAL CENTER, IN AFFILIATION WITH THE BRODY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, WHICH IS OWNED BY THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, OPERATES 30 RESIDENT-TRAINING PROGRAMS WITH OVER 400 MEDICAL RESIDENTS. THIS RELATIONSHIP ENABLES ECU HEALTH MEDICAL CENTER AND THE BRODY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE TO COMBINE THEIR RESOURCES FOR THE PROVISION OF QUALITY PATIENT CARE, MEDICAL EDUCATION AND RESEARCH FOR THE RESIDENTS OF EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA. THE BRODY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE HAS THREE IMPORTANT GOALS: EDUCATING PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS, MAKING MEDICAL CARE MORE READILY AVAILABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA, AND PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES TO MINORITY AND DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS. AS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION, ECU HEALTH REINVESTS ALL EXCESS OF REVENUES OVER EXPENSES IN PROGRAMS, SERVICES, AND FACILITIES THAT PROVIDE ACCESS TO PATIENT CARE AND HEALTH SERVICES TO THE CITIZENS OF EASTERN CAROLINA. OVERVIEW OF ECU HEALTH COMMUNITY BENEFIT PROGRAMS 1. EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA IS COMPRISED OF 1.4 MILLION PEOPLE LIVING IN 14,000 SQUARE MILES. BOUNDARIES ARE FROM I-95 EAST TO THE COAST, AND FROM THE VIRGINIA LINE DOWN TO AND INCLUDING ONSLOW COUNTY. THE AREA IS LARGELY RURAL AND LARGELY POOR, WITH HIGHER THAN STATE OR NATIONAL AVERAGE RATES FOR POVERTY AND UNINSURED. HEALTH STATUS INDICATORS SHOW INCREASED INCIDENCE OF DISEASE IN THE REGION, ESPECIALLY CANCER, HEART DISEASE AND STROKE. ECU HEALTH DETERMINES PRIORITIES FOR TARGET POPULATIONS BY WORKING IN CONCERT WITH MEDICAL AND COMMUNITY AGENCY PARTNERS IN ONGOING ASSESSMENT OF THE MOST PRESSING HEALTH CARE NEEDS. MANY EFFORTS OVER THE PAST DECADE HAVE FOCUSED ON DIABETES, PEDIATRIC ASTHMA, SCHOOL HEALTH, INJURY PREVENTION, ACCESS TO CARE, NUTRITION ENHANCEMENT, PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES AND CHRONIC DISEASE SCREENINGS. ALSO, SPECIAL PROGRAMS TO MANAGE THE CARE OF MEDICAID ENROLLEES, ADDRESS ACCESS TO BOTH MEDICAL CARE AND MEDICATIONS FOR THE UNINSURED, AND COORDINATION OF SERVICES FOR CHILDREN WITH OBESITY HAVE BEEN UNDERTAKEN. THE POPULATIONS THAT ARE SERVED BY ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES ARE LARGELY THE POOR, THE UNDERSERVED, AND MINORITIES. DETERMINATION OF SPECIFIC POPULATIONS TO ADDRESS OCCURS WHEN PARTNERS SUCH AS THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, COUNTY HEALTHY CAROLINIAN TASK FORCES, AND PHYSICIANS IDENTIFY A QUANTIFIABLE NEED, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS ARE ENGAGED TO WORK TOGETHER WITH THE HEALTH SYSTEM. 2. FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH PROGRAMS IS OBTAINED FROM BOTH THE OPERATING FUNDS OF ECU HEALTH ENTITIES AND EXTERNAL GRANT-AWARDING ORGANIZATIONS. THE ECU HEALTH BOARD ANNUALLY PROVIDES FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR THE COMMUNITY BENEFIT INITIATIVES PROGRAM OF ITS FOUNDATION. THESE FUNDS ARE THEN AWARDED TO COMMUNITY AGENCIES THAT SUCCESSFULLY DEMONSTRATE BOTH NEED AND A WELL-DESIGNED PLAN TO ADDRESS ONE OF THE FOUNDATION'S PRIORITY CATEGORIES. IN ADDITION, EACH ECU HEALTH HOSPITAL FINANCIALLY SUPPORTS COMMUNITY HEALTH RESOURCES WITHIN ITS OPERATING BUDGET. PROGRAMS VARY ACCORDING TO THE HOSPITAL'S FINANCIAL ABILITY AND COMMUNITY NEED, BUT ALL INCLUDE COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS WITH LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING HEALTH SCREENINGS AND EDUCATION TO TARGETED POPULATIONS. ECU HEALTH ALSO HAS A SUCCESSFUL TRACK RECORD OF OBTAINING COMMUNITY HEALTH PROGRAM SUPPORT FROM EXTERNAL AGENCIES THAT AWARD GRANT FUNDING TO APPROVE PROJECTS. THE ECU HEALTH GRANTS OFFICE WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2008 AND SERVES AS THE CENTRAL POINT FOR GRANT MINING, ACQUISITION AND MANAGEMENT OF GRANTS AWARDED TO ECU HEALTH HOSPITALS FOR COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS. GRANT FUNDS ARE UTILIZED TO DEMONSTRATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A PROPOSED COMMUNITY PROGRAM, MEASURE THE OUTCOMES ACHIEVED, AND GARNER LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY FROM EITHER THE HEALTH SYSTEM, OTHER COMMUNITY AGENCIES OR AS A COLLABORATIVE PROGRAM. MANY COMMUNITY HEALTH PROGRAMS ARE COLLABORATIVE IN NATURE WITH LOCAL SERVICE AGENCIES, AND OFTEN A PORTION OF THE GRANT FUNDS ARE USED TO SUPPORT RESOURCES OR SERVICES IN THESE AGENCIES. 3. COMMUNITY HEALTH PRIORITIES ARE DETERMINED FOLLOWING A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF COMMUNITY MEMBER FEEDBACK AND SECONDARY HEALTH DATA. COMMUNITY ALLIANCES, PARTNERS AND ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, PARTICIPATE IN THIS REVIEW. A LIST OF THE MOST PRESSING HEALTH ISSUES IS COMPILED FOR EACH COMMUNITY AND THEN PRIORITIZED FOLLOWING AN ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT HEALTH RESOURCES TO ADDRESS THE IDENTIFIED HEALTH ISSUES. ESTABLISHED RESOURCES/COALITIONS AND NEW PARTNERSHIPS ARE FORMED TO ADDRESS THE IDENTIFIED HEALTH PRIORITIES. 4. COMMUNITY PRIORITIES ARE ALSO ESTABLISHED IN RESPONSE TO A COMPELLING NEED IDENTIFIED BY HEALTH PRACTITIONERS OR COMMUNITY GROUPS. ECU HEALTH IS FORTUNATE TO HAVE A STRONG COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY, AND WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE SCHOOLS WITHIN THE HEALTH SCIENCES DIVISION, ESPECIALLY THE BRODY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE.