Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and UNC Health Care, the parent organization of High Point Medical Center, have signed a Letter of Intent in which Wake Forest Baptist would acquire and integrate High Point Medical Center and its affiliates into their regional health care system next summer. UNC Health Care, High Point Medical Center and Wake Forest Baptist designed this agreement to enhance coordination of care for the many patients served by both High Point Medical Center and Wake Forest Baptist and to help Triad patients receive care close to home. It enables High Point Medical Center and Wake Forest Baptist to build on long-standing relationships and forge new connections with physicians in the communities they serve.
Each year, more than 300,000 people in the greater High Point area benefit from the exceptional health care services provided by High Point Medical Center. Their Centers of Excellence include the Congdon Regional Heart Center, Hayworth Cancer Center, Esther R. Culp Women’s Center, Neurosciences Center, Piedmont Joint Replacement Center and the Emergency Center. Families throughout the Triad also benefit from over 30 High Point Medical Center office locations, providing personalized care for every member of the community.
“Wake Forest Baptist and High Point Medical Center have a long history of working together to provide high quality care to patients in our Triad communities,” said Julie Ann Freischlag, M.D., CEO, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, and Interim Dean, Wake Forest School of Medicine. “We are very glad to unite with our neighbors and colleagues at High Point Medical Center to bring our collaboration - to improve the health of all in the Triad - to the next level.”
“We are very excited about a partnership with Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center,” said Ernie Bovio, president & CEO of High Point Medical Center. “This is an important step for the long-term growth and future of High Point Medical Center.”
Ensuring continuity and a smooth transition are important goals of the agreement. The future High Point Medical Center board will include representatives from the High Point community, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and, during the transitional period, UNC Health Care.
“We have been proud to have High Point Medical Center as an integral part of the UNC Health Care System,” said Dr. Bill Roper, CEO of UNC Health Care. “After careful consideration we found this opportunity to bring High Point Medical Center and Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center together to be in the very best interest of the communities they serve. This is an important step for future growth and expansion of clinical services for the benefit of patients served throughout the Triad.”
Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center has committed to a strong relationship with the Foundation for a Healthy High Point to improve the health of the High Point community, as well as ensuring the existing strong relationship continues between High Point University and High Point Medical Center toward the mission to educate health care professionals for the future.
Over the next several months, workgroups across the three health care organizations will conduct due diligence, followed by implementation and operations planning. The goal is to finalize the transaction and integrate High Point Medical Center and Wake Forest Baptist next summer.
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Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center (www.wakehealth.edu) is a nationally prominent academic medical center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, with an integrated health care emterprise that incorporates hospitals, clinics, physician practices, diagnostic centers and other primary and specialty care facilities that serve the residents of 24 counties in northwest North Carolina and southwest Virginia. The Medical Center’s divisions are Wake Forest Baptist Health, a regional clinical network that includes Brenner Children’s Hospital; Wake Forest School of Medicine, a recognized national leader in cutting-edge research and experiential medical education; and Wake Forest Innovations, which commercializes the discoveries and research capabilities of the Medical Center and operates Wake Forest Innovation Quarter, an urban district devoted to driving regional economic growth and a vibrant community. Wake Forest Baptist clinical, research and educational programs are consistently rated among the best in the country by U.S. News & World Report
High Point Medical Center, a member of UNC Health Care, is a private, not-for-profit health care organization with more than 2,500 staff. High Point Medical Center offers 351 private beds for medical and surgical patients serving over 300,000 patients each year. High Point Medical Center has its foundation in six primary service areas: The Congdon Regional Heart Center, The Hayworth Cancer Center, The Neuroscience Center, The Esther R. Culp Women's Center, The Emergency Center and The Piedmont Joint Replacement Center. High Point Medical Center's mission is to provide exceptional health services to the people of this region. For more information, visit HighPointRegional.com.
UNC Health Care is an integrated health care system comprised of UNC Hospitals and its provider network, UNC Faculty Physicians, UNC Physicians Network, the clinical patient care programs of the UNC School of Medicine and nine other hospitals and hospital systems across the state. Additional hospital entities include UNC Rex Healthcare, Chatham Hospital, Johnston Health, Pardee Hospital, High Point Medical Center, Caldwell Memorial, Nash Health Care, Wayne Memorial and UNC Lenoir Health Care.
Media contacts:
Becky Kreitz, becky.kreitz@wakehealth.edu, 336-878-6711