ECU Health has undergone significant changes in its journey towards innovation and improvement. Dr. Armistead highlighted the challenges faced during the health system’s rebranding as ECU Health in January 2022, which coincided with the Omicron variant surge of the pandemic. This period was the most challenging month of the pandemic, where health care workers were under immense pressure to treat a high number of critically ill patients. Despite these difficulties, Dr. Armistead expressed that ECU Health has evolved into a dynamic and positive environment dedicated to enhancing the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina.
The community-focused approach of ECU Health played a vital role in navigating through the pandemic by establishing strong partnerships with the community. Now, the focus has shifted towards addressing the prevalent issue of chronic diseases in the region. Dr. Armistead expressed pride in the strategic initiatives undertaken by ECU Health to combat these challenges and improve the region’s overall health outcomes.
Hickey, on the other hand, highlighted ECU Health’s efforts to reach out to vulnerable populations across the 29-county region served by them. With many social determinants of health posing significant challenges in the area, partnerships have been instrumental in bridging the gap and ensuring that community members have access to essential health care services. Hickey stressed the importance of addressing issues like transportation and access to food, which significantly impact an individual’s health status. By implementing systems in community hospitals, ECU Health ensures that patients are met where they are, thus fulfilling their commitment to providing quality care tailored to the community’s needs. COVID-19 has further underscored this importance and highlighted that addressing health disparities requires a collaborative approach.
ECU Health continues to innovate and improve its healthcare services for patients in eastern North Carolina.
In conclusion, innovation is at heart of everything we do at ECU Health, said Dr Armistead during his address on our journey as a healthcare provider for eastern North Carolina.
“We recognize that we face unique challenges when it comes to healthcare delivery,” he explained.
As we rebranded ourselves as ECU Health in January 2022, we were hit with one of our toughest months yet – when we had to deal with an Omicron variant surge from COVID-19 pandemic.
But despite this challenge – which was arguably one of our toughest months during this pandemic – we have emerged as a dynamic and positive environment committed to enhancing people’s lives here in eastern North Carolina,” he added.
Dr Armistead emphasized how our community-focused approach played a critical role during this time – helping us build strong relationships with local communities through strategic partnerships.”
Now that we have successfully navigated through this crisis period, our focus is shifting towards tackling some of our biggest challenges: chronic diseases,” he stated.
“We take great pride in having taken several strategic initiatives aimed at improving overall health outcomes for people living here,” he said.
Meanwhile Hickey shed light on how our efforts are reaching out to vulnerable populations across our 29 county service area.”
“We understand how various social determinants can pose significant barriers for individuals seeking essential healthcare services,” he explained.