Chapel Hill, N.C.-based UNC Health plans to take over Onslow Memorial Hospital, a 162-bed hospital in Jacksonville, N.C., under a strategic affiliation agreement approved by the Onslow County Board of Commissioners, a spokesperson for the health system confirmed to Becker’s
Five things to know:
1. Commissioners approved the resolution June 15, authorizing county officials to execute agreements tied to the phased integration of Onslow Memorial and affiliated entities into UNC Health, according to ABC affiliate WCTI12.
2. UNC Health will invest more than $150 million to support the integration, according to the resolution.
3. The transition will occur in three phases. Effective July 1, UNC Health will gain a 30% membership interest in the hospital and an expanded operational role. A second phase will increase UNC Health’s membership interest to 49%, and a third phase, set for 2029, would make UNC Health the sole member of Onslow Memorial.
4. The agreement aims to maintain essential hospital services, support physicians and healthcare workers, improve technology and infrastructure, and maintain charity care and community benefit commitments, according to the report. It also includes governance protections meant to maintain local representation. At least 40% of the hospital’s board members must reside within the hospital’s service area or be stakeholders in the greater Onslow County community.
5. UNC Health and Onslow Memorial have partnered since 2019, when UNC Health entered into a management agreement with the hospital to strengthen clinical capabilities and operations, according to WCTI12.
“During their most recent meeting, the Onslow County Board of Commissioners took an important step forward for this community,” Onslow Memorial said in a statement shared with Becker’s. “They voted to authorize Onslow Memorial Hospital’s path to becoming a full, permanent part of North Carolina’s public health system. This was a shared decision made with community leaders, built on seven years of partnership with UNC Health — what’s changing is the depth and permanence of the commitment.”
At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.