UNC Health Care

UNC Health Care. It is a not-for-profit integrated health care system owned by the state of North Carolina and based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The system is anchored by its flagship academic medical center, UNC Medical Center, which serves as the primary teaching hospital for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's health sciences schools. With a mission encompassing patient care, research, and education, it operates hospitals, clinics, and outpatient facilities across the state, providing a wide range of specialized and general medical services to the population of North Carolina.

History

The origins of the system trace back to the 1940s with the planning of North Carolina Memorial Hospital, which opened in 1952 to provide clinical training for students from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. This institution was established through significant legislative action by the North Carolina General Assembly and support from the Consolidated University of North Carolina. A major expansion occurred in the 1980s with the opening of the North Carolina Children's Hospital. The formal creation of the integrated health care system took place in 1998, consolidating the hospital with the university's clinical programs under a single entity. Subsequent growth has included affiliations and partnerships with community hospitals across the state, such as Caldwell Memorial Hospital and Wayne Memorial Hospital, significantly expanding its geographic reach and service capabilities.

Facilities and services

The core of the system is the UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill, which includes North Carolina Memorial Hospital, North Carolina Children's Hospital, North Carolina Women's Hospital, and the North Carolina Cancer Hospital. This campus is designated as a Level I Trauma Center and features a comprehensive burn center. Across the state, the system includes multiple community hospitals, such as UNC Health Rex in Raleigh, UNC Health Johnston in Smithfield, UNC Health Lenoir in Kinston, and UNC Rockingham Health Care in Eden. Key clinical services include nationally recognized programs in oncology, managed through the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, cardiothoracic surgery, transplant medicine, and advanced neonatology within its NICU. The system also operates an extensive network of primary and specialty care clinics through UNC Physicians Network and UNC Faculty Physicians.

Affiliations and partnerships

As part of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, it maintains an integral relationship with the UNC School of Medicine, the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, the UNC Adams School of Dentistry, and the UNC School of Nursing. The system is a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. It holds a clinical affiliation with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs via the Durham VA Health Care System. Strategic partnerships extend to other regional providers, including a longstanding collaboration with WakeMed Health & Hospitals for certain pediatric services. Furthermore, the system is actively involved in the ACO model through participation in the Medicare Shared Savings Program.

Research and education

Research is a cornerstone, heavily integrated with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and its health affairs schools. The UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center is a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. Major research initiatives also span the UNC McAllister Heart Institute, the UNC Neuroscience Center, and the UNC Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases. The system provides critical training grounds for medical students, residents, and fellows from the UNC School of Medicine, with graduate medical education programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. It also hosts students from the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy for clinical rotations and research projects.

Leadership and governance

The system is governed by a board of directors, with members appointed by the University of North Carolina Board of Governors, the President of the University of North Carolina, and the Chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Day-to-day executive leadership is provided by a chief executive officer, who oversees the hospital and clinic operations across the entire network. The system's leadership works in close coordination with the deans of the health affairs schools, particularly the dean of the UNC School of Medicine, to align clinical, educational, and research missions. Financial and strategic oversight is also provided through committees of the board focusing on audit, finance, and quality of care.