UNC makes progress on Hillsborough hospital

UNC Health Care is still on track to open a new hospital in Hillsborough in 2015 as part of an initiative to expand health services throughout the state.

Jennifer James, director of UNC Health Care’s News Office , said the new Hillsborough Campus is a way to provide services in the area so patients from Hillsborough do not have to travel to Chapel Hill for care.

The construction of the hospital will cost more than $200 million. The hospital will have 68 beds, including 50 acute beds and 18 intensive-care beds, she said.

“Since the hospital is still under construction, I don’t have an exact figure. But, it is accurate to say that Hillsborough Hospital will cost more than $200 million. It is funded through UNC Health Care operating revenue,” James said in an email.

Many people needing medical care have been able to receive UNC Health Care services outside of the Triangle area.

Expansion of the UNC Health Care system has included incorporating smaller physicians’ offices into the health care system. This branch of the University’s health care system is called UNC Physicians Network .

James said it’s harder for smaller hospitals to maintain their independence, resulting in a national trend of larger health care systems like the Physicians Network.

James said UNC Health Care is still actively looking for other physicians’ offices.

“UNC Physicians Network will continue to grow, but there is definitely a finite number,” James said.

She said there are more than 36 practices and 166 physicians in the network and the number is still increasing.

“It’s a regional network ... It started several years ago and the intent was always to grow,” she said.

The merging process in the Physicians Network begins with an invitation extended to smaller physicians’ offices by UNC Health Care or vice-versa.

James said they reject some offers. UNC Health Care looks for physicians’ offices with a like culture to decide if the merger would be mutually beneficial.

She said smaller physicians’ offices that merge with UNC receive the benefits of a larger health care system, such as access to doctors, resources and technological support.

“(Physicians’ offices) want to join because they want access to a larger system,” she said. “They want affiliation with UNC because of its quality.”

One recent merger into the Physicians Network was High Point Regional Health .

According to a press release about the merger with UNC Health Care System, it was completed in April 2013.

“Under the merger, UNC Health Care will become the sole member of High Point Regional providing $150 million for capital improvements and $50 million for the establishment of a newly formed Community Health Fund,” the press release stated.

UNC Health Care is providing funding for immediate capital improvement needs for High Point Regional .

The hospital maintains a separate financial foundation to provide support for patient care, technology and other capital needs .

Becky Alley , public relations and marketing manager of High Point Regional, said UNC Health Care was one of the systems that responded to the hospital’s proposals for a partnership.

In addition to the merger with UNC Health, it plans to keep growing in the future.

“We have plans in place and have started progress renovating our plant along with plans in the next few years to renovate our emergency department, operating rooms and women’s floors,” Alley said.

university@dailytarheel.com