New Bern, N.C.-based CarolinaEast Health System is ending its partnership with Chapel Hill, N.C.-based UNC Health on March 31, the New Bern Sun Journal reported March 6.
In May 2021, the systems announced that CarolinaEast would become part of UNC through an affiliation agreement to enhance the quality of care and improve access to specialty services in the eastern part of the state. Under the agreement, CarolinaEast remained a separate legal entity with its own board of directors.
CarolinaEast CEO Michael Smith said in a news release that it is no longer in the best interests of both health systems to maintain the affiliation agreement, according to the report.
The termination is not expected to disrupt claims related to payment for care provided to individuals by government or commercial payers nor disrupt CarolinaEast clinical, operational or administrative functions.