Residents press county commissioners for oversight after multiple complaints about Novant New Hanover Regional Medical Center

A string of public comments at the meeting focused on patient care, staffing and governance at Novant New Hanover Regional Medical Center, with multiple speakers urging county action and oversight following a series of personal stories and documented complaints.

Speakers included family members of patients, registered nurses, retired clinicians and local advocates who described delayed care, poor communication, alleged procedural mistakes and staffing shortages. "My mother, Jacqueline, was 75 years old when she walked into Novant with hope of healing, and she never came home," said Robert John, who described a sequence of postoperative lapses he says led to his mother's death. "These are not just lapses in professionalism. They are failures of compassion, communication, and accountability."

Nurses and clinicians told commissioners they are seeing higher vacancy lists and fewer experienced staff, which they say contributes to delayed responses and missed clinical changes. "Nurses are not valued and supported," said Gail Bordeaux, a registered nurse of 41 years. She testified that long patient assignments and understaffing are resulting in care that misses subtle but consequential clinical changes.

Community advocates and clinicians also said patient experience and quality measures have fallen since the hospital sale; one public speaker said a petition and resolution on hospital quality had collected nearly 3,700 signatures and called for the county to demand a corrective plan from Novant. "We need strong oversight. We need real patient advocacy, care plans that involve families, and accountability for those who fail to act," Robert John told commissioners.

Speakers asked the board to use any contractual or oversight tools available to ensure the hospital provides safe, timely and reliable care and to require Novant to report progress and corrective actions. Several callers noted that people already travel out of county to seek specialty care, citing a lack of certain specialists locally and concerns about delays in the emergency department.

Commissioners did not take immediate formal action during the public comment period recorded in the transcript. Multiple commissioners listened and asked clarifying questions of speakers. Staff told the board that materials and petitions handed to the county would be added to the record. Several citizens asked the board to follow up with the hospital and with state regulators; residents said they would continue to organize to press for improvements.