We are committed to sharing updates as we begin the process of integrating into the UNC Health family.
We promise to keep you informed and updated. Below is a list of frequently asked questions and answers to help you learn more about our proposed agreement.
What are we announcing?
We’re excited to share that the Southeastern Health Board of Trustees has approved and signed the comprehensive Management Services Agreement (MSA) with UNC Health. With the MSA now finalized, we are officially part of the UNC Health family. This incredibly exciting milestone reflects the hard work of our Board, leadership team, physicians and employees to put us in a place to be taking this important step forward together.
What does this mean?
Southeastern Health is no longer a stand-alone, independent health system – instead, we are a part of North Carolina’s leading public academic health system, UNC Health. Changing our name is a big deal and reflects not just the fact that we are the newest member in the UNC Health system, but we will also begin transitioning our daily operations to align with the protocols, policies, procedures and high standards that each of our sister hospitals within the UNC Health system uses today.
What changes can we expect to see as part of UNC Health?
Some changes you can expect to see in the months and year ahead, include:
- Adopting UNC Health’s policies, procedures and programs in areas such as patient experience, quality improvement, staff and provider engagement and more.
- Transitioning all facility and department names to align with the UNC Health Southeastern brand. All elements that include the Southeastern Health brand will be re-branded as UNC Health Southeastern such as employee badges, website and social media platforms, signage, marketing campaigns and more.
- Adopting the ONE UNC Health System Values in addition to our existing organizational values to guide our behaviors going forward and begin our cultural integration into the UNC Health family.
- Benefitting from the UNC Health Network Physician Recruitment Office to bring even more highly skilled caregivers to meet the growing healthcare needs of our region.
When will our signage and other branding change over?
In 2021, all facilities and departments will change their name to align with the UNC Health Southeastern brand. All elements that include the Southeastern Health brand will be re-branded as UNC Health Southeastern such as employee badges, website and social media platforms, signage, marketing campaigns and more.
How will the integration process take place? Who will be involved?
Yes. As part of the initial proposed 10-year agreement, Southeastern Health intends to co-brand with UNC Health as UNC Health Southeastern.
What changes today?
Today we become UNC Health Southeastern. This incredibly exciting milestone reflects the hard work of our Board, leadership team, physicians and employees to put us in a place to be taking this important step forward together. With the agreement finalized, we will now turn our attention to the work of integrating into the UNC Health family as UNC Health Southeastern. This work will be conducted deliberately and thoughtfully, with input from leader and physicians across the organization.
What does this mean for leadership and local governance?
Our CEO Joann Anderson and CFO Justin Bynum will report to UNC Health and our Board of Trustees. Our Board will remain in place to ensure local input and oversight, but the day-to-day management and decision-making will be in the hands of UNC Health.
What does this mean for employees and providers?
As we begin to work more closely with North Carolina’s leading public academic health system, we will benefit from access to the operational and clinical expertise and resources needed to:
- Become an even stronger regional healthcare leader;
- Provide enhanced opportunities to recruit and retain additional highly skilled physicians and other caregivers to the area;
- Maintain and grow the services we offer today while keeping care local; and
- Positively impacting the health and wellbeing of the communities we serve.
What does this mean for patients and our community?
In partnership with UNC Health, we can become a better and stronger healthcare partner to the communities we serve. Eventually, our goal is to move to UNC Health’s instance of Epic, improving care coordination for patients. We also anticipate beginning to work more closely with UNC Health on important topics that we must address to improve the overall health and wellbeing of our community.
What happens next? How can I learn more?
This is a win-win for both organizations. We will learn from each other and take the best of both our organizations to create a healthier North Carolina. We have a lot of work to do, but we’re moving forward together in the right direction. As always, you can visit SEHealthForward.org to learn more about how we’re moving forward together as UNC Health Southeastern.