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Haywood Regional Medical Center located in Haywood County and WestCare Health System located in Jackson and Swain counties have taken the next step in planning for the integration of the hospitals and have selected a larger healthcare organization to manage the integrated system. The action comes after almost a year of representatives of the two community hospital systems working jointly to set a future course of action that would ultimately increase patient access to quality healthcare, improve patient outcomes and reduce the cost of healthcare to patients in Western North Carolina. 

In separate meetings last night, the HRMC Board of Commissioners and the WestCare Health System Board of Trustees each passed a resolution directing the organizations’ Joint Study Committee to proceed with a plan for the integration of HRMC and WestCare under a joint operating company and with a contractual relationship with Carolinas HealthCare System to ultimately manage the integrated system. A FAQ can be found by clicking here.

“Carolinas HealthCare System has a proven track record of successfully managing community based hospitals throughout the region,” said Glenn White, chairman of Haywood Regional’s governing board.  “Under this new relationship we will develop and share a common mission while continuing local representation and input in the delivery of healthcare to our respective communities.” 

Plans call for the formation of a joint operating company that will facilitate the integration of HRMC and WestCare into a coordinated system.  Through the joint operating company, HRMC and WestCare will design an effective corporate structure and governance process that will allow the hospitals to create more efficient long term operational strategies. 

“The joint operating company we intend to establish will largely relieve our two hospitals of the limitations and challenges of conducting business as individual healthcare entities,” said Fred Alexander, chairman of the board of trustees of WestCare.  “Working jointly – in partnership – we can assure the citizens of Western North Carolina of the continued delivery of high quality medical services.”   

According to White, the details of the final management agreement and the organizational structure will be developed over the coming months, and Carolinas HealthCare System will participate in the formation of the integrated health system. The final details will be presented to the governing boards of Haywood Regional and WestCare for approval once completed.  No date has yet been set when the agreement would go into effect.   

“Carolinas HealthCare System is proud to have been selected by the boards of these two outstanding organizations to provide management services,” said Michael Tarwater, CEO of Carolinas HealthCare System.  “We recognize the significant role these facilities play in Western North Carolina and we are honored to be part of this tremendous affiliation.”

“By working with Carolinas HealthCare System, our staffs and our physicians will have access to the many resources available through the largest healthcare system in the Carolinas and the third largest nonprofit public system in the nation,” Alexander said.

“The process to reach an agreement is moving as expeditiously as possible,” said Mike Poore, CEO at Haywood Regional.  “At the same time, we must carefully address certain key elements including physician retention and recruitment and planning for future growth.  Our focus is squarely on enhancing and coordinating healthcare services in Western North Carolina.”

“Over the coming months, we will work closely with our colleagues from Haywood and Carolinas HealthCare System to answer the many questions that remain. Our priority will continue to be the long-term availability of high quality health services for our region,” said Mark Leonard, CEO at WestCare.

Haywood and WestCare formed a cooperative relationship through a Memorandum of Understanding in October 2008. The Memorandum of Understanding created a Joint Study Committee to evaluate the process of affiliation and to report back to the governing boards.

The Joint Study Committee consists of board members and physicians from Haywood Regional and WestCare, as well as the two CEOs. A request for proposal for affiliation was developed and submitted to Carolinas HealthCare System, Mission Health System and Novant Health. Carolinas HealthCare System and Mission submitted proposals.

About Carolinas HealthCare System

Carolinas HealthCare System (www.carolinashealthcare.org) is the largest healthcare system in the Carolinas. CHS owns, leases or manages 25 hospitals in North and South Carolina and employs more than 1,100 physicians who practice in more than 300 locations. CHS operations comprise over 5,200 licensed beds and employ more than 40,000 full-time or part-time employees.

About Haywood Regional Medical Center

Haywood Regional medical Center was established in 1927. The current facility opened in 1979 and is licensed for 170 acute care beds. It is the third largest employer in Haywood County with more than 900 employees. For more information, go to www.haymed.org

Health education programming is now available 24 hours a day through The Patient Channel on televisions tuned to channel 21 at Harris Regional Hospital. Programming on The Patient Channel covers a wide spectrum of topics including cancer, asthma, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, smoking cessation, parenting, health/wellness, and other healthcare topics. New programs are added throughout the year.

The educational content on The Patient Channel is controlled by independent advisory boards, consisting of experts in medicine, patient care, education and ethics, whose objective is to ensure the accuracy and appropriateness of programming. The TV channel is distributed by GE Healthcare.

A programming schedule is available at http://thepatientchannel.com

Swain Medical Center
7 physicians, 3 physician extenders
Swain Medical Center is a seven physician family practice group that also employs three mid-level providers and provides service at WestCare's hospital owned practice at Swain County Hospital in Bryson City.  This group provides a full gamut of care including inpatient hospital (light census), outpatient, and emergency room coverage.  The practice is located within Swain County Hospital and its operations are fully integrated with and supported by the hospital's services.

Sylva Family Practice
2 physicians, 1 physician extender
Sylva Family Practice (SFP) is also a two physician practice with one physician assistant.  The senior partner, Will Nash, is retiring around the end of the year.  Roy Gallinger, who has been in the community for approximately 20 years is interested in recruiting two additional physicians over the next couple of years.  SFP does predominantly outpatient practice, using the hospitalist service as well.  SFP is also currently evaluating space options and they are likely to move into new office space close to the hospital campus within 12 to 18 months.

Sylva Medical Center
4 physicians, 2 physician extender
Sylva Medical Center (SMC) is currently a group of four internists that, in the past, has also had a complement of family practice physicians.  They are currently recruiting at least two physicians to join their practice and would consider both internal medicine and family practice physicians.  SMC has a fairly wide range of in-office ancillary services and also uses the hospitalist service for inpatient care. 

Wellspring Family Practice
2 physicians, 1 physician extender
WellSpring Family Practice is a practice comprised of two relatively young physicians (Matt Mahar and Matt Standridge) and a physician assistant.  They are currently looking for at least one additional physician to join their group.  WellSpring has a relatively young patient population.  Dr. Standridge is the most recent addition to the practice and began exceeding his income guarantee within 6 months of starting practice.  WellSpring is an outpatient practice that makes use of WestCare's hospitalist service for the vast majority of the inpatient care provided to its patients.

- Award from HealthGrades Determined by Patient Experience Surveys -

SYLVA, NC (Dec. 8, 2008) - Harris Regional Hospital today announced that it is among the nation's top 5 percent in patient experience, according to HealthGrades, the nation's leading independent healthcare ratings organization.  Harris Regional Hospital is a recipient of HealthGrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award™, a designation based on patient survey data collected as part of the federal government's Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems, or HCAHPS.

The federal HCAHPS initiative gathers patient responses to 27 survey questions related to physician and nurse communication, speed of responsiveness, hospital cleanliness and noise levels, medication information and post-discharge care instructions.

Mark Leonard, FACHE, CEO of Westcare Health System stated, "The Patient Experience Award recognizes the excellent care provided by the WestCare physicians and hospital staff. This award should be a source of continued confidence for patients, family members and our referring physicians. We are proud of this recognition but we also know we must continue to improve."

To determine the recipients of the HealthGrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award, HealthGrades analyzed HCAHPS survey results for 2,592 hospitals nationwide. Hospitals had to meet bed size, survey size and clinical-quality thresholds to be considered for the award. The award is the first HealthGrades distinction based on patients' perspective of hospital care.

"HealthGrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award" reflects Harris Regional Hospital's strong commitment to providing its patients' with a superior level of service, something for the entire organization to take pride in," said HealthGrades Executive Vice President Sarah Loughran.