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UNC Health outlines plans to deepen services at Onslow Memorial Hospital
Summary
UNC Health officials told the county board they are integrating Onslow Memorial Hospital into the UNC Health system, citing expanded pediatric care, virtual specialties, EPIC electronic records, workforce recruitment and a new regional president to support coastal facilities.
UNC Health representatives on June 1 updated Onslow County commissioners on a multi-year integration plan for Onslow Memorial Hospital aimed at expanding local specialty access, strengthening workforce recruitment, and modernizing technology.
Tammy Scarboro, who identified herself as UNC Health’s regional president and chief administrative officer for the statewide region, said UNC Health serves all 100 North Carolina counties and that the system’s mission is to keep care local while building capacity. "We are the state's healthcare system. We serve patients in all 100 North Carolina counties," Scarboro said, describing investments in pediatric services, virtual specialty care (neurology, psychiatry, infectious disease) and a planned implementation of the EPIC electronic health record at Onslow Memorial Hospital to standardize care protocols.
Scarboro told the board the hospital has seen measurable improvements in staff engagement and patient-safety indicators during seven years of partnership and that UNC Health plans further investments in ambulatory services, technology and recruitment to reduce out-migration of patients.
Commissioners thanked UNC Health leaders and noted improvements to the hospital’s emergency department and community outreach. Hospital leaders invited the public to a World Elder Abuse Awareness event on June 17 at Jacksonville Commons as part of the county proclamation earlier in the meeting.
What this means: If implemented as presented, the integration would expand local specialty access and technical capacity at Onslow Memorial Hospital, while county and UNC officials continue to discuss operational details, timelines and costs.
